§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail the total cost of the Royal Parks Constabulary for the last three years and the number of serving officers and establishment.
§ Sir George YoungThe figures are:
365W
Manpower Year Cost £ Authorised Actual 1987–88 2,381,000 164 151 1988–89 2,876,000 163 156 1989–90 3,346,000 163 152 The cost figures exclude accommodation and super-vision which are not separately identifiable. Manpower figures are as at 31 December of each year.
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the differences in pay and conditions of service for the Royal Parks Constabulary from equivalent Metropolitan police force ranks.
§ Sir George YoungBasic pay rates in the Royal Parks Constabulary are set at 85.5 per cent. of the equivalent rates for Home Department police forces. Officers receive the same rate of London weighting, but they do not receive the special London allowance paid to officers in the Metropolitan police. RPC officers are members of the civil service pension scheme which is non-contributory. Metropolitan police officers are members of the standard Home Department forces pension scheme which is contributory. Other conditions of service, including discipline codes, are similar for both forces.
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State far the Environment if he will list the number and types of vehicles used by the Royal Parks Constabulary.
§ Sir George YoungThe Royal Parks Constabulary currently has a fleet of 28 vehicles:
Number Saloon cars (Ford Escort/Vauxhall Astra) 6 Vans (Ford Transit/Freight Rover Sherpa) 8 Personnel Carriers (Ford Transit) 2
1988 1989 1990 Crimes Arrests Crimes Arrests Crimes Arrests Crimes of violence 51 25 28 14 37 25 Sexual offences 62 47 77 41 74 42 Burglary 45 1 52 9 47 5 Robbery 33 3 28 5 16 5 Theft 420 95 448 58 470 76 Criminal damage 70 27 80 24 59 20 Other 338 414 347 333 332 320 TOTAL 1,069 612 1,060 484 1,035 493
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Royal Parks Constabulary's duties and responsibilities were last reviewed.
§ Sir George YoungAn inspection of the force was carried out by one of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary in 1980. The constabulary and its arrangements have since been strengthened to reflect the increased emphasis on security protection which now forms an important part of its duties.