§ 77. Mr. Haireasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what improvement there has been in recruitment to the Police Force as a result of the implementation of the Oaksey Report.
§ Mr. EdeThe improvements in police conditions recommended by the Oaksey Committee in Part I of their Report and accepted by the Government came into force on 1st July, 1949, and began to exercise an appreciable effect on police recruitment in August. Between 1st August, 1949, and 1st March, 1950, the number of men in police forces in England and Wales increased from 57,756 to 59,428. The average monthly increase in strength in the first seven months of last year was 20.4: the average monthly increase in the subsequent seven months was 238, and the average monthly number of recruits accepted increased from 384 to 602. This improvement was not, unfortunately, evenly distributed, and in certain large forces, including the Metropolitan, the rate of increase is still not satisfactory.