§ 17. Mr. Norman Fowlerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the progress of police recruiting so far during 1974.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsRecruitment to police forces in England and Wales during the first five months of 1974 was 2,755.
§ Mr. FowlerDoes the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the first priority must be to improve the strength of forces in some of our major cities, including London? What action does he propose to take to reduce the disturbing number of experienced policemen who are now 655 resigning from the service before reaching retirement age?
§ Mr. JenkinsThe hon. Gentleman is correct in saying that the major problem is in London and one or two other forces. As for the strength of the force in the country as a whole, it is nearly 25 per cent. higher than was the case eight or 10 years ago, and that is a substantial improvement. But there are difficulties in London. The position in the police force as a whole is that recruitment was at about the same level at the beginning of this year as it was last year, and that wastage is a shade, but only a shade, lower, so that the increasing wastage trend which had existed for a little time seems to have flattened out. I do not deny that there is a real problem here, and by means of the London allowance and other methods we keep it closely under review.