§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has reached decisions on the applications from police authorities for increase in provincial police force establishments in 1988–89.
§ Mr. HurdI have approved 450 additional posts with effect from 1 June as follows:
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Police authority Posts approved Avon and Somerset 20 Bedfordshire 10
Police authority Posts approved Cambridgeshire 20 Cheshire 15 Devon and Cornwall 25 Essex 20 Gwent 9 Hampshire 23 Kent 30 Norfolk 20 Northamptonshire 20 Northumbria 30 North Wales 10 Nottinghamshire 35 South Yorkshire 20 Staffordshire 10 Thames Valley 40 West Midlands 70 West Yorkshire 23 With the 50 additional police posts previously authorised for Thames Valley with effect from 1 April 1988, I have now approved 500 police posts for provincial forces for 1988–89. This is part of the phased programme of about 2,000 additional posts for provincial forces which I announced in May 1986 and brings to 5,553 the posts approved since 1979.