Clause 79 - Expenses of members of police authorities etc.
Police Reform Bill [Lords]
11:15 am
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
Once again, the Police Federation has been in touch with my hon. Friend the Member for South-East Cambridgeshire and myself. It believes that, as a matter of principle, the rules governing the reimbursement of expenses of members of police authorities should not be substantially more favourable than those governing the reimbursement of expenses incurred by police officers. As an example, it quotes from the recent police negotiating board agreement on police pay and conditions of service:
''refreshment and subsistence allowances are due to be replaced by reimbursement of actual expenses incurred evidenced by receipts.''
The Police Federation believes that the same change should be made to the expenses arrangements for members of police authorities. On reading that, I decided that it was at least a legitimate matter to ask the Minister about, although I shall not vote against the clause, and I anticipate that the Minister may say that the rules have to be slightly different for various reasons.