To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many meetings between Ministers and officials from his Department and (a) Surrey Police and (b) Surrey Police Authority took place between July 2008 and May 2009; on what date each such meeting took place; who attended each meeting; and what topics were discussed at each meeting. (279307)

There was one meeting with Surrey police authority on 21 April 2009 to allow the authority to present its challenge to its designation for capping face to face with Ministers. Ministers at the meeting were the then Local Government Minister, the then Police Minister and their officials. Those attending on behalf of Surrey police authority were Peter Williams (chairman of the authority), Dr. Sue Martin (chief executive), Ian Perkin (treasurer) and Mark Rowley (chief constable).

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) on what date his Department first informed Surrey police that it intended to use a 2008-09 notional budget requirement and a 2008-09 notional Band D council tax rate in determining whether to cap Surrey Police Authority’s precept; (279316)

Officials wrote to the authority on 26 June 2008 informing it that the Secretary of State had proposed a notional budget requirement of £189,622,000 for 2008-09. The authority subsequently exercised its right to challenge its proposed notional budget requirement.

Officials then wrote to the authority on 11 September 2008 informing it that, having carefully considered its challenge, the Secretary of State had confirmed the notional budget requirement of £189,622,000 for 2008-09.

Further correspondence from officials beginning on 24 October 2008 (in response to a query from Surrey police on 21 October) confirmed that, in the event that Ministers decided to cap in 2009-10 and included a council tax capping principle, such a principle would operate with reference to a notional level of council tax for 2008-09.