HC Deb 01 May 1975 vol 891 cc235-7W
Mr. Geraint Howells

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total establishment and strength of police forces in Wales, and in regard to each county and district.

Authorised Establishment Strength 31st March 1975 Wastage (including retirements) from 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975 Recruitment from 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975
Avon and Somerset 2,868 2,600 138 165
Bedfordshire 890 795 49 89
Cambridgeshire 1,024 983 41 86
Cheshire 1,770 1,630 109 186
Cleveland 1,411 1,296 89 98
Cumbria 1,078 1,022 55 79
Derbyshire 1,559 1,456 103 157
Devon and Cornwall 2,673 2,579 101 170
Dorset 1,089 1,050 70 99

Dr. Summerskill

On 31st March the establishments and strengths of the four forces in Wales were as follows:

Force Establishment Strength
Dyfed Powys 866 859
Gwent 928 921
North Wales 1,216 1,174
South Wales 2,886 2,849
Total 5,896 5,803

The Gwent police area coincides with the country boundary. The figures for the territorial divisions in the countries in the South Wales police area were as follows:

Country Establishment Strength
Mid-Glamorgan 863 835
South Glamorgan 888 837
West Glamorgan 685 688

All divisions receive support from head-quarters staff and the force traffic division.

Separate figures for countries within the Dyfed Powys and North Wales police areas and for districts in the whole of Wales are not available, as divisional and subdivisional boundaries do not always coincide with local government boundaries.

Mr. Cordle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the recognized establishment of each police force in England and Wales, the number of officers actually engaged in each of those forces, the number of officers who have retired from each of those forces during the last 12 months, and the number of officers recruited to each of those forces during the same period.

Dr. Summerskill

The figures are as follows:

Authorised Establishment Strength 31st March 1975 Wastage (including retirements) from 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975 Recruitment from 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975
Durham 1,373 1,275 74 99
Dyfed Powys 866 859 30 76
Essex 2,436 2,198 79 158
Gloucestershire 1,101 961 40 82
Greater Manchester 6,600 5,584 301 324
Gwent 926 921 54 84
Hampshire 2,845 2,706 150 216
Hertfordshire 1,472 1,328 74 127
Humberside 1,910 1,688 105 100
Kent 2,454 2,265 162 244
Lancashire 3,080 2,858 107 205
Leicestershire 1,603 1,581 82 169
Lincolnshire 1,174 1,140 64 101
Merseyside 4,317 3,858 243 257
Norfolk 1,218 1,160 45 66
Northamptonshire 844 831 53 120
Northumbria 3,322 3,096 181 166
North Wales 1,216 1,174 65 116
North Yorkshire 1,217 1,235 81 109
Nottinghamshire 2,066 2,034 131 204
South Wales 2,886 2,849 138 212
South Yorkshire 2,752 2,340 137 168
Staffordshire 2,066 1,932 89 119
Suffolk 1,077 978 59 54
Surrey 1,442 1,270 95 114
Sussex 2,661 2,588 143 279
Thames Valley 2,960 2,781 205 278
Warwickshire 876 783 40 83
West Mercia 1,650 1,491 96 122
West Midlands 6,471 5,298 301 375
West Yorkshire 5,104 4,387 298 338
Wiltshire 979 897 56 85
City of London 1,028 787 39 34
Metropolitan 26,628 20,850 1,259 1,480