§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce his decision on increases in police establishments for 1991–92.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI am able to approve 700 additional police posts for 1991–92 in the allocation as shown in the following table. The 100 posts for the Metropolitan police will be with effect from 31 March 1992 while the provincial force posts will be with effect from 1 October 1991. In addition I can approve up to 90 posts where I am satisfied that the full cost would be reimbursed by a third party, as in the case of some airports.
Applications from the police authorities for increases in establishments have exceeded the number of posts available for allocation and I have therefore had to set priorities taking into account advice from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. My approval is always subject to confirmation from the police authorities that their share of the funding is available for the extra police posts.
Over 80 per cent. of the posts will be deployed on operational duties identified by chief constables, mainly at constable level.
I have also retained 36 posts for allocation to the regional crime squads. I await the advice of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary before I decide on their specific allocation.
In addition to police posts, provision had been made for 1,100 additional civilian staff posts which it is intended should help forces obtain police officers through civilianisation. Provincial police authorities identified scope in their applications for 1991–92 for the release of up to 630 additional police officers to operational duties by civilianisation. In addition the Metropolitan Police plans to increase operational strength by 100 through civilianisation. The full effect of the additional posts and of civilianisation could therefore be to increase operational strength by over 1,400 in 1991–92.
334W
Posts Avon and Somerset 4 Bedfordshire 32 Cambridgeshire 16 Cheshire 11 Cumbria 8 Derbyshire 8 Devon and Cornwall 15 Dorset 15 Durham 11
Posts Essex 17 Gloucestershire 19 Greater Manchester 22 Hampshire 27 Hertfordshire 11 Humberside 18 Kent 28 Lancashire 22 Leicestershire 13 Lincolnshire 8 Merseyside 5 Norfolk 12 Northamptonshire 19 Northumbria 26 North Yorkshire 6 South Yorkshire 18 Staffordshire 8 Suffolk 11 Surrey 11 Sussex 18 Thames Valley 40 Warwickshire 8 West Midlands 48 West Yorkshire 14 Wiltshire 15 Total: (England and Wales 564 Metropolitan police 100 Regional crime squad 36 Total 700