asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation areas, in the West Midlands and nationally, make some form of payment to cover home-to-office car travel; what proportion this is in each case; and if he will list the areas which do so in the West Midlands.

Up-to-date information is not available. Last May the national figure was 10 out of 56 probation areas; a further 10 areas made payment to prison welfare officers only. The West Midlands Metropolitan County is not among those 20 areas, though officers in Coventry receive such payment under arrangements introduced before local government reorganisation.