§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the proportion of police to public in Essex; and what is the comparable figure for other counties.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation on population per police officer is as follows:
174W
Force Population per police officer1 Avon and Somerset 460 Bedfordshire 508 Cambridgeshire 544 Cheshire 512 Cleveland 371 Cumbria 423 Derbyshire 515 Devon and Cornwall 521 Dorset 522 Durham 434 Dyfed-Powys 495 Essex 521 Gloucestershire 453 Greater Manchester 369 Gwent 442 Hampshire 531 Hertfordshire 508 Humberside 427 Kent 512 Lancashire 436 Leicestershire 503 Lincolnshire 493 Merseyside 308 Norfolk 546 Northamptonshire 508 Northumbria 408 North Wales 486 North Yorkshire 516 Nottinghamshire 435 South Wales 415 South Yorkshire 434 Staffordshire 472 Suffolk 539 Surrey 452 Sussex 482 Thames Valley 540 Warwickshire 489 West Mercia 538 West Midlands 383
Force Population per police officer1 West Yorkshire 391 Wiltshire 513 Average provincial forces (excluding the City of London) 452 City of London 5 Metropolitan 253 Average England and Wales 404 1 The figures are calculated on the basis of mid-1988 population figures and authorised establishments of forces at 1 April 1989.
§ Mr. DuffyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on manpower levels in the South Yorkshire police; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydOn 31 October there were 2,944 officers on the strength of the South Yorkshire police. This is 384 more than when the Government took office 10 years ago. My right hon. and learned Friend has approved a further 20 police posts for the force establishment, raising it from 2,978 to 2,998, subject to the police authority's confirmation that it is prepared to meet its share of the costs.