§ Paddy AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in England and Wales in each of the years 1978–79 to 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [144648]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe information is set out in the table. The latest available figures for 2000–01 are those for 30 September 2000. They show that police numbers at the end of September 2000 were 444 higher than in the March of that year.
With funding from the crime fighting fund— £454 million over the three years 2000–01 to 2002–03— forces will be able to recruit 9,000 police officers over and above the number they had otherwise planned to recruit in that period. This funding should enable police numbers to reach their highest ever level by 2003–04.
379W
Police numbers 1978–79 to 2000–01 Year1 Total number of police officers 1978–79 111,133 1979–80 114,543 1980–81 118,102 1981–82 119,973 1982–83 121,003 1983–84 121,053 1984–85 120,116 1985–86 120,848 1986–87 122,236 1987–88 124,080 1988–89 125,631 1989–90 126,777 1990–91 127,495 1991–92 127,627 1992–93 128,290 1993–94 127,897 1994–95 127,222 1995–96 126,901 1996–97 127,158 1997–98 126,814 1998–99 126,096 1999–2000 124,170 20002 124,614 1 As at 31 March 2 30 September
§ Paddy AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in(a) Avon and Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency area for each quarter since September 1995; and if he will make a statement. [144616]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkePolice personnel statistics are collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate only every six months—as at 30 September and 31 March each year. The figures are collected per force and not at constituency level. The figures available for the Avon and Somerset special constabulary from September 1995 to September 2000 are as follows:
Number September 1995 676 March 1996 688 September 1996 662 March 1997 759 September 1997 629 March 1998 621 September 1998 584 March 1999 547 September 1999 482 March 2000 459 September 2000 416 I understand from the chief constable of Avon and Somerset that it is not possible to provide information about the numbers of special constables specifically for the Yeovil constituency area as such information is not collected. Year-end figures are available for the number of specials in post from April 1997 for the East Somerset police district, which incorporates the Yeovil constituency, and these are:
Number April 1997 73 April 1998 101 April 1999 86 April 2000 75
§ Paddy AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in England and Wales in(a) March 1992 and (b) March 1997; and if he will make a statement. [144645]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeOn 31 March 1992, there were 127,627 police officers in England and Wales. By 31 March 1997 this had declined by 469 to 127,158 officers.
With funding from the crime fighting fund— £454 million over the three years 2000–01 to 2002–03— forces will be able to recruit 9,000 police officers over and above the number they had otherwise planned to recruit in that period. As a result, recruitment is up. 5,268 recruits entered the police training colleges in the first nine months of the current financial year compared to 3,030 in the same period in 1999–2000. And by 30 September 2000, police numbers stood at 124,614,444 higher than at the end of March that year.
§ Paddy AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the actual strength was of the East Somerset Division of Avon and Somerset Constabulary for each quarter since 1995; [144646]
380W(2) what his estimate is of the number of police officers in (a) Avon and Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency area for each quarter or half year, as available, since September 1995; and if he will make a statement. [144649]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe table sets out the actual number of officers in the Avon and Somerset constabulary and the East Somerset division since September 1995. Information on police numbers is available on a half-yearly basis only (March and September).
I understand from the chief constable that it is not possible to provide information about the number of officers in the Yeovil constituency as such information is not held. Although information has been provided from September 1995 for the East Somerset division, I understand from the chief constable that restructuring and changes to territorial divisions in 1997 prevent like-with-like comparisons being made with the number of officers in the East Somerset division for the periods before 1997.
Avon and Somerset constabulary Year/month Total force strength1 East Somerset division (police numbers)1 30 September 1995 2,986 193 31 March 1996 2.981 196 30 September 1996 3,004 200 31 March 1997 2,989 230.5 30 September 1997 2,973 240 31 March 1998 2,976 243.4 30 September 1998 2,966 238 31 March 1999 2,999 240.9 30 September 1999 2,989 239 31 March 2000 2,934 234.7 30 September 2000 2,941 239 1 Full-time equivalent numbers