HC Deb 21 November 1984 vol 68 cc178-9W
Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have requested an increase in their authorised establishment of serving police officers during 1984; what increases he has approved; when they will take effect; and if he will give the same information for each of the past five years.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Ten police authorities in England and Wales applied for increases totalling 90 posts in their police establishments for the current financial year 1984–85, and there were applications outstanding from four other police authorities. Thirty-two additional posts have so far been approved for four forces, and further consideration will be given shortly, in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabularly, to five applications which my right hon. and learned Friend undertook to consider again later this year.

The information for 1984–85, together with comparable information for each of the five previous financial years, and including the increases approved for the Metropolitan police, is as follows:

Financial Year 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85
Increase applied for Increase approved Increase applied for Increase approved Increase applied for Increase approved Increase applied for Increase approved Increase applied M Increase approved Increase applied for Increase approved
Cumbria 130 25 100 15 85 85 7 4
Derbyshire 3 3 152 55 75 75 7 *7
Devon and Cornwall 62 34 27 10 10 †4
Dorset 20 12 12 50 7 11 1
Durham 6 2 2
Dyfed Powys 18
Essex 179 78 101 30 45 45 10 35 10 10 10
Gloucestershire 36 15 9 9 24 24
Greater Manchester 365 31 300 175 125 125 2
Gwent 3 3
Hampshire 81 80 50 50 †3
Hertfordshire 35 40 10
Humberside 48 33
Kent 100 51 4 44
Lancashire 70 20 20 20 20
Leicestershire 31 21 3 3 3 6
Lincolnshire 1 1 1
Merseyside 1 238 155
Norfolk 59 8 8
Northamptonshire 56 28 28 28 14 12 16 7
Northumbria 150 30 30 2 25 †21
North Wales 60 33 3 3 1 1 3 3
North Yorkshire 85 40
Nottinghamshire 124 115 (-1)
South Wales 102 30 6 4 4
South Yorkshire 120 120
Staffordshire 30 30 33 50 5
Suffolk 49 35 1 14 12
Surrey 3 3 250 †14
Sussex 6 21 (-1) 20 8
Thames Valley 99 8 100 98 18 4 18 17 308 143
Warwickshire 50 1 50 43 68 68 5
West Mercia 87 87 90 90 90 2
West Midlands 100 175 14 *14
West Yorkshire 100 50
Wiltshire 29 11 2 12 7 †3
City of London (-224)
Metropolitan (-12) 38 300 200
* Supernumerary posts.
† Further consideration will be given shortly to these applications.