asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to the Metropolitan police of providing at football matches in London additional police officers whose costs were not defrayed by the football clubs themselves.

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that this information is not available. Metropolitan police charges to football clubs for policing at matches are based on the full economic cost of a previously agreed number of police officers posted inside the ground. Additional officers may, at the discretion of the police, be deployed inside the ground if the need arises on the day, and the club would not be charged for these. Clubs are not required to meet the cost of officers posted in the streets and other public places outside the ground; this is an ordinary policing requirement.