Police Establishment (Hansard, 14 February 1984)

§ Mr. Corbett
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase or decrease in each police force, by name, in each of the last five years in the number of civilian posts, by category, number and percentage.

§ Mr. Hurd
The information requested is as follows: 125W

1982 1983

Full time Part time per cent, difference full time per cent, difference part time Full time Part time per cent, difference full time per cent, difference part time

Durham 405 125 -2.17 -5.30 411 132 +1.48 +5.60

Dyfed Powys 172 52 nil +13.04 176 56 +2.33 +7.69

Essex 633 167 -0.78 +1.21 640 173 +1.11 +3.59

Gloucestershire 183 92 -1.08 -4.17 200 90 +9.29 -2.17

Greater Manchester 1,350 336 +0.90 -0.59 1,366 349 +1.19 +3.87

Gwent 187 58 +1.08 +1.75 200 56 +6.95 -3.45

Hampshire 649 150 -0.46 +3.45 651 149 +0.31 -0.67

Hertfordshire 319 130 +2.24 -2.26 317 127 -0.63 -2.31

Humberside 443 112 -6.28 +13.13 475 115 +7.22 +2.68

Kent 755 195 -2.45 +0.52 768 195 +1.72 nil

Lancashire 714 368 +1.28 +4.55 701 353 -1.82 -4.08

Leicestershire 400 90 +2.04 +18.42 414 91 +3.50 +1.11

Lincolnshire 271 122 +0.73 nil 276 117 +1.85 -4.10

Merseyside 1,037 162 +8.13 +5.19 1,140 164 +0.29 +1.23

Norfolk 250 47 +3.31 -4.08 252 49 +0.80 +4.26

Northamptonshire 244 27 -0.81 +12.50 257 33 +5.33 +22.22

Northumbria 803 141 +4.29 +4.44 832 140 +3.61 -0.71

North Wales 288 79 +0.70 +1.28 311 79 +7.99 nil

North Yorkshire 295 79 -0.67 +5.33 302 77 +2.37 -2.53

Nottinghamshire 560 116 +6.46 +7.41 586 117 +4.64 +0.86

South Wales 812 152 +4.24 nil 818 148 +0.74 -2.63

South Yorkshire 593 120 +2.07 +3.33 615 119 +3.71 -0.83

Staffordshire 594 69 +0.51 +9.52 605 68 +1.85 -1.45

Suffolk 307 85 +4.07 +2.41 323 80 +5.21 -5.88

Surrey 334 109 +0.60 -0.91 335 114 +0.30 +4.59

Sussex 659 200 +0.92 +4.71 652 194 -1.06 -3.00

Thames Valley 970 161 +2.75 -1.23 987 153 +1.75 -4.97

Warwickshire 171 40 +1.18 +14.29 204 36 +19.30 -10.00

West Mercia 511 114 +4.93 +2.70 618 117 +20.94 +2.63

West Midlands 1,366 256 -0.65 +0.79 1,351 270 -1.10 +5.47

West Yorkshire 1,109 262 -5.13 +5.22 1,099 263 -0.90 +0.38

Wiltshire 237 49 + 1.28 +8.89 243 54 +2.53 +10.20

City of London 280 21 +1.45 -12.50 276 20 -1.43 -4.76

Metropolitan 12,200 2,944 -0.34 -6.92 12,126 2,629 -0.61 -10.70

Total 33,898 7,985 +0.56 -1.11 34,433 7,673 +1.58 -3.91

§ Mr. Corbett
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces, by name, are currently under the agreed establishment levels, by rank and numbers.

31 December 1983

Authorised establishment Actual strength^* Differences^* between establishment and strength by rank

Chief Constable Assistant Chief Constable Chief Superintendent Superintendent Chief Inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable

Avon and Somerset 3,020 2,985 — -1 — — — — -2 -32

Bedfordshire 1,000 999 — — — — — — +1 -2

Cambridgeshire 1,140 1,137 — -1 — — +1 — -1 -2

Cheshire 1,845 1,832 — — — +1 +1 — -2 -13

Cleveland 1,474 1,464 — — +1 — +1 -2 +2 -2

Cumbria 1,128 1,111 — — — — +1 +1 +1 -20

Derbyshire 1,767 1,766 — — — +2 +1 +2 +1 -7

Devon and Cornwall 2,734 2,724 -1 — — +1 -1 +4 -4 -9

Dorset 1,183 1,171 — — — — — +5 — -17

Durham 1,357 1,308 — — — -2 -1 — -4 -42

Dyfed Powys 934 924 — — — — — -2 — -8

Essex 2,653 2,628 — — — — — -2 -10 -17

Gloucestershire 1,164 1,144 — — — — — -1 — -19

Greater Manchester 6,943 6,931 — — — +2 +3 +4 -2 -19

Gwent 978 962 — — -1 — — +1 +1 -17

Hampshire 3,084 3,073 — — -3 — -8 +4 — -4

Hertfordshire 1,568 1,566 — — — +1 +1 +4 -4 -4

Humberside 1,972 1,965 — -1 — — — +4 — -10

Kent 2,875 2,839 — — +1 +3 +5 -9 -36

Lancashire 3,158 3,125 — — +1 +1 — +2 +1 -38

Leicestershire 1,733 1,736 — — — +1 +1 +4 -2 -1

Lincolnshire 1,183 1,178 — -1 +1 — — — -2 -3

Merseyside 4,607 4,604 — -1 +4 +2 +9 +9 +12 -38

126W

§ Mr. Hurd
All police forces in England and Wales are at, or very close to, their authorised establishment. The differences between the authorised establishment of each force and the actual strength, by rank, on 31 December 1983 were as follows: 127W

Authorised Actual Differences^* between establishment and strength by rank

establishmentstrength^* Chief Constable Assistant Chief Assistant Chief Superintendent Superintendent Chief Inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable

Norfolk 1,273 1,278 — — — — +1 -2 +1 +5

Northamptonshire 1,018 1,001 — — — — — -1 -1 -15

Northumbria 3,357 3,337 — -1 — +1 +1 +3 -1 -23

North Wales 1,316 1,275 — — +1 -1 — — -1 -40

North Yorkshire 1,368 1,354 — — — — +1 +1 +1 -17

Nottinghamshire 2,259 2,227 — — -1 -4 -2 -4 -4 -17

South Wales 3,109 3,082 — — — +1 — -3 -1 -24

South Yorkshire 2,872 2,858 — — — — — +2 — -16

Staffordshire 2,099 2,090 — — — — -1 -3 -15 +10

Suffolk 1,136 1,123 — — — +1 — — — -14

Surrey 1,602 1,574 — — +1 — +1 +3 -1 -32

Sussex 2,830 2,807 — — +1 — +3 +7 -34 —

Thames Valley †3,267 3,152 — — — +1 +1 -2 -7 †-108

Warwickshire 925 910 — — — -1 — +1 — -15

West Mercia 1,923 1,914 — -1 +1 — +1 -4 -2 -4

West Midlands 6,684 6,685 — — — +1 -2 +5 -28 +25

West Yorkshire 5,154 5,116 — -2 — — -2 +2 -2 -34

Wiltshire 1,042 1,030 — — — -2 — — — -10

City of London 798 800 — — +1 +1 -1 +2 +14 -15

Metropolitan 26,915 26,729 — ‡+2 +3 -23 +70 +83 -388 +67

Total 120,447 119,514 -1 -1 +10 -15 +83 +136 -492 -647

^* Some forces have recruited supernumerary replacements for officers on central service and secondment to avoid diminishing their operational strengths. For this reason some of the strength figures are shown as exceeding the authorised establishments.

† 100 additional posts were approved for the Thames Valley police on 18 November 1983.

‡ Deputy Assistant Commissioners, in the Metropolitan police.

§ Mr. Corbett
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the establishment levels of police forces; and when the last review was undertaken and implemented.

§ Mr. Hurd
Police force establishments are kept under review by chief officers, police authorities and Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary. Police authorities are responsible for fixing the authorised establishment of forces, subject to the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels) on 26 October 1983 at c. 98 for information about the applications received from police authorities for increases in their police establishments in the current financial year, and the number of additional posts approved.
We will shortly be considering further, in the light of advice from Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary, the applications from Kent, Northumbria, Staffordshire and Sussex for increases in the current financial year, and giving initial consideration to the applications received so far for increases in the financial year 1984–85.

	1982	1983
	Full time	Part time	per cent, difference full time	per cent, difference part time	Full time	Part time	per cent, difference full time	per cent, difference part time
Durham	405	125	-2.17	-5.30	411	132	+1.48	+5.60
Dyfed Powys	172	52	nil	+13.04	176	56	+2.33	+7.69
Essex	633	167	-0.78	+1.21	640	173	+1.11	+3.59
Gloucestershire	183	92	-1.08	-4.17	200	90	+9.29	-2.17
Greater Manchester	1,350	336	+0.90	-0.59	1,366	349	+1.19	+3.87
Gwent	187	58	+1.08	+1.75	200	56	+6.95	-3.45
Hampshire	649	150	-0.46	+3.45	651	149	+0.31	-0.67
Hertfordshire	319	130	+2.24	-2.26	317	127	-0.63	-2.31
Humberside	443	112	-6.28	+13.13	475	115	+7.22	+2.68
Kent	755	195	-2.45	+0.52	768	195	+1.72	nil
Lancashire	714	368	+1.28	+4.55	701	353	-1.82	-4.08
Leicestershire	400	90	+2.04	+18.42	414	91	+3.50	+1.11
Lincolnshire	271	122	+0.73	nil	276	117	+1.85	-4.10
Merseyside	1,037	162	+8.13	+5.19	1,140	164	+0.29	+1.23
Norfolk	250	47	+3.31	-4.08	252	49	+0.80	+4.26
Northamptonshire	244	27	-0.81	+12.50	257	33	+5.33	+22.22
Northumbria	803	141	+4.29	+4.44	832	140	+3.61	-0.71
North Wales	288	79	+0.70	+1.28	311	79	+7.99	nil
North Yorkshire	295	79	-0.67	+5.33	302	77	+2.37	-2.53
Nottinghamshire	560	116	+6.46	+7.41	586	117	+4.64	+0.86
South Wales	812	152	+4.24	nil	818	148	+0.74	-2.63
South Yorkshire	593	120	+2.07	+3.33	615	119	+3.71	-0.83
Staffordshire	594	69	+0.51	+9.52	605	68	+1.85	-1.45
Suffolk	307	85	+4.07	+2.41	323	80	+5.21	-5.88
Surrey	334	109	+0.60	-0.91	335	114	+0.30	+4.59
Sussex	659	200	+0.92	+4.71	652	194	-1.06	-3.00
Thames Valley	970	161	+2.75	-1.23	987	153	+1.75	-4.97
Warwickshire	171	40	+1.18	+14.29	204	36	+19.30	-10.00
West Mercia	511	114	+4.93	+2.70	618	117	+20.94	+2.63
West Midlands	1,366	256	-0.65	+0.79	1,351	270	-1.10	+5.47
West Yorkshire	1,109	262	-5.13	+5.22	1,099	263	-0.90	+0.38
Wiltshire	237	49	+ 1.28	+8.89	243	54	+2.53	+10.20
City of London	280	21	+1.45	-12.50	276	20	-1.43	-4.76
Metropolitan	12,200	2,944	-0.34	-6.92	12,126	2,629	-0.61	-10.70
Total	33,898	7,985	+0.56	-1.11	34,433	7,673	+1.58	-3.91

31 December 1983
	Authorised establishment	Actual strength^*	Differences^* between establishment and strength by rank
			Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Chief Superintendent	Superintendent	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable
Avon and Somerset	3,020	2,985	—	-1	—	—	—	—	-2	-32
Bedfordshire	1,000	999	—	—	—	—	—	—	+1	-2
Cambridgeshire	1,140	1,137	—	-1	—	—	+1	—	-1	-2
Cheshire	1,845	1,832	—	—	—	+1	+1	—	-2	-13
Cleveland	1,474	1,464	—	—	+1	—	+1	-2	+2	-2
Cumbria	1,128	1,111	—	—	—	—	+1	+1	+1	-20
Derbyshire	1,767	1,766	—	—	—	+2	+1	+2	+1	-7
Devon and Cornwall	2,734	2,724	-1	—	—	+1	-1	+4	-4	-9
Dorset	1,183	1,171	—	—	—	—	—	+5	—	-17
Durham	1,357	1,308	—	—	—	-2	-1	—	-4	-42
Dyfed Powys	934	924	—	—	—	—	—	-2	—	-8
Essex	2,653	2,628	—	—	—	—	—	-2	-10	-17
Gloucestershire	1,164	1,144	—	—	—	—	—	-1	—	-19
Greater Manchester	6,943	6,931	—	—	—	+2	+3	+4	-2	-19
Gwent	978	962	—	—	-1	—	—	+1	+1	-17
Hampshire	3,084	3,073	—	—	-3	—	-8	+4	—	-4
Hertfordshire	1,568	1,566	—	—	—	+1	+1	+4	-4	-4
Humberside	1,972	1,965	—	-1	—	—	—	+4	—	-10
Kent	2,875	2,839	—	—		+1	+3	+5	-9	-36
Lancashire	3,158	3,125	—	—	+1	+1	—	+2	+1	-38
Leicestershire	1,733	1,736	—	—	—	+1	+1	+4	-2	-1
Lincolnshire	1,183	1,178	—	-1	+1	—	—	—	-2	-3
Merseyside	4,607	4,604	—	-1	+4	+2	+9	+9	+12	-38

	Authorised	Actual	Differences^* between establishment and strength by rank
	establishmentstrength^*	Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Assistant	Chief Superintendent	Superintendent	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable
Norfolk	1,273	1,278	—	—	—	—	+1	-2	+1	+5
Northamptonshire	1,018	1,001	—	—	—	—	—	-1	-1	-15
Northumbria	3,357	3,337	—	-1	—	+1	+1	+3	-1	-23
North Wales	1,316	1,275	—	—	+1	-1	—	—	-1	-40
North Yorkshire	1,368	1,354	—	—	—	—	+1	+1	+1	-17
Nottinghamshire	2,259	2,227	—	—	-1	-4	-2	-4	-4	-17
South Wales	3,109	3,082	—	—	—	+1	—	-3	-1	-24
South Yorkshire	2,872	2,858	—	—	—	—	—	+2	—	-16
Staffordshire	2,099	2,090	—	—	—	—	-1	-3	-15	+10
Suffolk	1,136	1,123	—	—	—	+1	—	—	—	-14
Surrey	1,602	1,574	—	—	+1	—	+1	+3	-1	-32
Sussex	2,830	2,807	—	—	+1	—	+3	+7	-34	—
Thames Valley	†3,267	3,152	—	—	—	+1	+1	-2	-7	†-108
Warwickshire	925	910	—	—	—	-1	—	+1	—	-15
West Mercia	1,923	1,914	—	-1	+1	—	+1	-4	-2	-4
West Midlands	6,684	6,685	—	—	—	+1	-2	+5	-28	+25
West Yorkshire	5,154	5,116	—	-2	—	—	-2	+2	-2	-34
Wiltshire	1,042	1,030	—	—	—	-2	—	—	—	-10
City of London	798	800	—	—	+1	+1	-1	+2	+14	-15
Metropolitan	26,915	26,729	—	‡+2	+3	-23	+70	+83	-388	+67
Total	120,447	119,514	-1	-1	+10	-15	+83	+136	-492	-647
^* Some forces have recruited supernumerary replacements for officers on central service and secondment to avoid diminishing their operational strengths. For this reason some of the strength figures are shown as exceeding the authorised establishments.
† 100 additional posts were approved for the Thames Valley police on 18 November 1983.
‡ Deputy Assistant Commissioners, in the Metropolitan police.