§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999,Official Report, columns 332–33, on the London River Police, what operational assessment the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police has made of the workload increase for the river police over the millennium public holiday; and if he will make a statement. [87403]
§ Kate HoeyThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that his operational planning assumes there will be a high level of activity on the river over the millennium public holiday. However, organisers of many proposed events have not yet confirmed the extent of these events. There will be a need for maximum operational deployment of river police both to police the areas involved and to support other agencies, such as the Port of London Authority.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999,Official Report, columns 332–33, on the London River Police, if the river police are currently deployed on a 24 hour shift pattern; and what changes to the current pattern are proposed for the millennium public holiday. [87404]
§ Kate HoeyThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the river police are currently deployed on a 24-hour shift pattern; and that 24-hour cover will be provided throughout the millennium period, with the number of officers on duty at any time reflecting the operational demand.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been put in place to ensure public safety on London rivers over the millennium public holiday. [87406]
§ Kate HoeyThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that there are ongoing discussions on the joint measures that may be necessary between the Port of London Authority, who are responsible for river safety, and the Metropolitan Police Service. It would be premature to make final decisions on the total resources to be deployed, or on operational plans.