Home Secretary David Blunkett has hailed the Spending Review 2002 for increases in cash to fight crime.
Home Secretary David Blunkett has hailed the Spending Review 2002 for increases in cash to fight crime. Home Office spending will amount to ล2.7b more in 05/06 than last year; that includes ล115m in 2003/4 rising to ล200m in 2005/06 to fund in full the Blunkett reform of police pay and conditions. Mr Blunkett said: ?This is good news for the Home Office and, despite this being a tight year financially, ensures that we can press ahead with our major programme of reform for policing, asylum and criminal justice – the three core areas.? Among the programmes are ล50m per year to be allocated to police BCUs in high crime areas to empower frontline crime reduction work, in consultation with Crime Reduction and Disorder Partnerships. The Government says that Home Office and Lord Chancellor’s Department funding for asylum are to be confirmed in a separate ring fenced fund. The settlement also includes agreement that the Recovered Assets Fund being established by the Proceeds of Crime Bill will largely be used to fight crime, the Home Office says. The settlement provides a clear incentive to deliver a substantial increase in assets seized, and consequently disrupt organised criminal activity, according to the Government. Visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk
