of a settlement in the service contract dispute.

Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox had the fund agreed by MPs as ready cash to give to officers when their salary and conditions row is finally resolved by tribunal.

But she was criticised by Opposition MPs, who said she was allocating money before it had even been decided how much the officers should get.

The Minister said the money represented the combined allowance portion of the Mowbray report into Police pay, which recommended premiums to be backdated to 1997 -- when the last contract expired.

She said she supported the majority of the findings of the report, but with phased increases, which has been backed by the Police Association.

But the officers want the rises backdated immediately and not brought in gradually.

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley asked how they could come up with a figure when no findings had been published.

And he again called for the Mowbray report to be made public, so they could share the information with the taxpayers.

But Ms Cox refused to disclose any details of the report whilst negotiations were on going.

She said the fund ensured there was money available from day one, when an agreement is reached, adding that there may be a need for more supplementary estimates should that not be enough.

The pay tribunal is still meeting.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dunkley also asked when something would be done to clear up the backlog of traffic cases currently clogging Magistrates Court on a Thursday.

He asked why some of the $166,000 earmarked in the supplementary estimates for the Attorney General's Chambers could not be used for extra magistrates.