§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the turnover rate was for special constables in each constabulary in England in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [10145]
§ Mr. DenhamHome Office-funded research into the premature wastage of special constables, completed last year, found that the primary reasons for leaving were often external to the service. However, the research identified some underlying management factors contributing to the decision to resign.
Recommendations aimed at reducing the wastage included making improvements to: the flexibility of duties and hours offered; the management structure within which specials operate; the quality of training provided locally; and to local efforts to monitor and prevent wastage.
The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.
§ Mr. BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables are to be assigned to the Senlac Division(a) this year and (b) in the next five years. [9863]
§ Mr. DenhamI am informed by the Chief Constable of Sussex police that the force aims for a ratio of one special constable to every five regular officers. Establishment figures for regular officers are set on a yearly projection basis according to the budget; For the Senlac Division in 2001, this figure was 260 regular officers. There are currently 34 special constables deployed there.
No decisions have been made about the deployment of regular (and therefore special) constables for next year and beyond.
718WThe Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.
§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were with the Essex police at the end of(a) 1971, (b) 1981 and(c) 1991; and what the latest available figure is for 2001. [10506]
§ Mr. DenhamThe number of serving special constables at force level has only been recorded centrally from 1991 onwards. Figures for 1971 and 1981 are not available. The total number of special constables in Essex police force for 1991 and 2001 are set out in the table.
Year Total number of special constables 30 December 1991 642 31 March 2001 445 The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.