HC Deb 11 November 2003 vol 413 cc240-2W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police officer manning levels in the Lancashire Police Authority area. [137212]

Ms Blears

Decisions on the balance between police officers and police (support) staff is a matter for the Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary (Paul Stephenson QPM). At the end of August 2003, the force had record strength of 3,469 police officers. This is 130 more than in March 2003 and 165 more than in March 2002. I understand that the force has forecast strength for 31 March 2004 at 3,503 officers. In March 2003, the force had 1,489 police (support) staff, which is 47 more than in March 2002.

Additionally, Lancashire Constabulary had 77 Community Support Officers on 31 August 2003, with plans to have 107 by March 2004.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to merge constabularies in the area of the Government Office for the West Midlands. [137623]

Ms Blears

[holding answer 10 November 2003]I have no plans to merge constabularies in the area of the Government Office of the West Midlands.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 6 October 2003,Official Report, column 1242W, on the police, how many police officers licensed to carry firearms in each year since 1997 were (a) suspended and (b) prevented from carrying firearms; and if he will make a statement. [136946]

Ms Blears

Information concerning the numbers of police officers licensed to carry firearms in each year since 1997 and(a) suspended and (b) prevented from carrying firearms is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police response vehicles are available(a) in each London borough and (b) to the (i) British Transport Police and (ii) Royal Parks Police; and if he will make a statement. [136866]

Ms Blears

The information is provided as follows:

(a) The statistics for borough based response vehicles are set out in the table. These have been provided by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis:

Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) Liveried Response Vehicles
Barking Dagenham BOCU 12
Barnet BOCU 24
Bexley BOCU 14
Brent BOCU 22
Bromley BOCU 18
Camden BOCU 20
Croydon BOCU 21
Ealing BOCU 22
Enfield BOCU 14
Greenwich BOCU 23
Hackney BOCU 25
Hammersmith and Fulham 16
Haringey BOCU 20

Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) Liveried Response Vehicles
Harrow BOCU 14
Havering BOCU 17
Hillingdon BOCU 19
Hounslow BOCU 18
Islington BOCU 24
Kensington and Chelsea 14
Kingston-upon-Thames 13
Lambeth BOCU 40
Lewisham BOCU 19
Merton BOCU 13
Newham BOCU 21
Redbridge BOCU 20
Richmond-upon-Thames 14
Southwark BOCU 34
Sutton BOCU 14
Tower Hamlets BOCU 20
Waltham Forest BOCU 19
Wandsworth BOCU 26
Westminster BOCU 34
Total 644

The Metropolitan Police Service also holds vehicles equipped to attend emergency calls, attached to specialist units.

(b) (i) The British Transport Police has a total of 345 vehicles that can act as response vehicles.

(ii) The Royal Parks Constabulary has two police response vehicles.

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