THE Metropolitan Police has defended its decision to spend in excess of £600,000 buying new company cars for senior officers. Some 30 cars have been ordered for officers of the rank of chief constable up to assistant commissioner, in an initiative which has seen the scrapping of chauffeur-driven official cars.

This will save an estimated £400,000 per year according to a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police. The chauffeurs have been redeployed within the force.