HC Deb 22 July 1971 vol 821 cc1665-6
20. Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the shortage of personnel in the Metropolitan Police ; and having regard to prospective increases in unemployed persons under 21 years of age, what steps he is taking to popularise police careers and service.

Mr. Sharples

It was 4,824 on 31st May. At this time of the year chief officers of police, including, particularly, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, mount special campaigns to attract school leavers to become police cadets.

Sir G. Nabarro

Has my hon. Friend observed that this year about 500,000 school, college and university leavers are being put on a labour market where there are grossly insufficient vacancies to absorb them? As large numbers of these men and women are suitable material for police training, should there not be a special effort not only in the Metropolis but among all provincial police forces to bring their numbers up to full strength?

Mr. Sharples

Yes, Sir. I hope that a large proportion of those leaving school with the necessary qualifications will apply for positions in the police forces. The Metropolitan Police have sent out a special letter to 1,700 headmasters in areas which have been good recruitment areas in the past, and I hope for some response to this.

Mr. George Cunningham

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that one of the sectors in which the police are grossly deficient and under establishment is that of the traffic wardens? Is he aware that they are particularly short of traffic wardens who are prepared to operate during the night and that such wardens are the kind needed to remove from London streets lorries parked overnight, which cause so much disturbance at five o'clock in the morning? What action has he taken in the last year to deal with this problem?

Mr. Sharples

The question related to policemen. If the hon. Gentleman will put down a question about traffic wardens, I will let him have the information.

Mr. Callaghan

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the question also referred to unemployed persons? While we all want to see the police at full strength, has the hon. Gentleman noticed that there are today 829,000 men and women out of work in the country? Is it not about time that this reproach to the Government was removed and that, instead of being asked to provide recruits to the police, these men and women were put back into their own jobs?

Mr. Sharples

The Question related to the police.