§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers on the beat there were in(a) May 1997, (b) May 1998 and (c) September 1998. [58251]
§ Mr. BoatengInformation on the deployment of police personnel is collected annually by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. The number of officers on patrol duties in England and Wales is set out in the table:
Date Patrol Overall police numbers March 1997 62,172 127,158 March 1998 62,203 126,856