Lieut.-Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALLasked the Home Secretary whether he can give the number of police now on the strength of the county and borough forces in England, Wales, and Scotland, the Metropolitan Police, the London City Police, the Dublin Metropolitan Police, the Royal Irish Constabulary, the police employed by railway companies under Government control, and the strength of the staff employed in local and convict prisons?
§ Mr. SHORTTI cannot give the present number of police on the strength of the county and borough forces in England and Wales, but at the end of September last the actual strength was 24,659, and in the City of London 794. The return from the Army of members of the regular police and recruiting have since then no doubt substantially increased these numbers. The present strength of the Metropolitan police is 18,450. The staff employed in local and convict prisons and Borstal institutions numbers 2,609. I have no information of the number of police employed by railway companies. Inquiries with regard to the police in Scotland and Ireland should be addressed to the Scottish and Irish Offices respectively.