HL Deb 03 February 2000 vol 609 cc47-8WA
Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To what base number of police officers will the 5,000 extra officers announced by the Home Secretary be additional. [HL694]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Police strength as at 31 March 1999 was 126,096. Under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, it is for chief constables to determine staffing levels in their forces within the resources available to them. Money from the Crime Fighting Fund will be used to recruit 5,000 police officers over and above the number forces had otherwise planned to recruit over the next three years, commencing in April 2000