§ Mr. FormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers on active duty in the Metropolitan police area(a) at the present time and (b) in 1979. [15266]
§ Mr. MacleanIn December 1993—the latest period for which figures are available—operational police strength in the Metropolitan police area was 19,932 and support strength 7.211. Comparable figures are not available for 1979 as data were not collated in this format. The total police strength of the force is now nearly 25 per cent. greater than in 1979.