§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the response of the police to the Getting the Best Leaders to Take on the Most Demanding Challenges project. [146276]
§ Ms BlearsAn extensive consultation exercise was undertaken on the key findings contained in the project on "Getting the Best Leaders to Take on the Most Demanding Challenges". A number of regional seminars were held to discuss the key findings with those who would be most affected by any new policies arising from the project report. Approximately 320 people, representing the broad spectrum of the police service attended the seminars and over 100 written responses were also received. The results of the consultation exercise were considered by the Police Leadership Development Board (PLDB) on which all the major stakeholders, including all the police associations and the Association of Police Authorities are represented.
These responses and the views of the PLDB informed the advice given to Ministers and subsequent decisions on the future direction of policy.
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§ Ms BlearsEstimates from British Crime Surveys (BCS) are set out in the table. In 1998 and 2000 BCS respondents were asked about their experiences of crime in the previous calendar year. Following a change in the BCS sample design, from 2001–02 onwards respondents were asked about their experiences of crime in the 12 months prior to the interview.
As a result we are taking forward a number of measures to improve the identification, selection, support and development of those with the potential to be chief officers, including establishing a central advisory service which will be an embryonic form of a new body, the Police Leadership Centre, which will bring together all central work on police leadership within the remit of one organisation.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the pay and conditions package for the police implemented from 1 April 2003. [146277]
§ Ms BlearsThe package provides improved and modernised pay and conditions of service for the police. It has a number of elements that are important for the wider police reform agenda including modernising the pay system, enabling greater flexibility and targeting rewards for priority work. I am pleased that all parties to the Police Negotiating Board agreement that led to the package are now working to ensure its effective implementation.
§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list, for each police force in England and Wales, the total number of(a) male and (b) female police officers in post for each of the last 10 years; [142057]
(2) if he will list, for each police force in England and Wales, the total number of (a) male and (b) female (i) CID and (ii) non-CID officers in post at each rank, for each of the last 10 years. [142058]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 16 December 2003]Available information covers the period 1996 to 2003 for gender and rank. In 2003 new calculations for counting police numbers were introduced so the figures are not comparable with previous years.
A copy of the statistics have been placed in the Library.