36. Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police officers have been recruited by Scottish forces since he imposed restricions on recruitment in July; and how many have been lost to the force in the same period.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. William Ross)I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to him yesterday.
Mr. TaylorAs the experience of the last three months, when net recruitment in the whole of Scotland was only 22, has shown that the selective restrictions have not helped the difficult areas at all, and as Scotland is short of about 1,000 men will the Secretary of State not abandon these absurd restrictions forthwith?
§ Mr. RossI think that the hon. Gentleman is quite wrong. If one compares Glasgow over the past three months with a similar period last year, one finds that Glasgow has recruited more than last year, and I am glad to say that they lost less; in fact a net increase of 27.
§ Mr. RankinWould my right hon. Friend say how the figures for crime in this period in Scotland have progressed or regressed, and could he give the figures for Glasgow?