§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions his Department has made repesentations to Humberside county council to appoint a suitably qualified officer to the post of assistant chief constable; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will make a statement about the failure of Humberside county council police committee to appoint a suitably qualified officer to the post of assistant chief constable for Humberside police; and what information he has received of the effect of that failure on policing in Humberside.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI regret that one of the two assistant chief constable posts has been vacant for over a year. The Department has written seven times to Humberside police authority since December 1983 to urge them to make an appointment. It remains our view that two posts at this level are necessary in Humberside and the chief constable has had to arrange for essential duties to be carried out by other officers. The force remains efficient.
§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary have made to Humberside police committee about its cuts in the police budget and further proposed cuts; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe police authority has a statutory duty to maintain an adequate and efficient force for the area. No representations have been made by the Department about the force budget. The advice of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary to my right hon. and learned Friend and to police authorities is given in confidence.
§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the report on the 1984 annual inspection by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary of Humberside police to the Humberside police committee; what recommendations were contained therein with reference to the appointment of a suitably qualified assistant chief constable; and whether those recommendations have been observed.
§ Mr. Giles ShawUnder section 38 of the Police Act 1964, Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary report to my right hon. and learned Friend: their reports are made in confidence, as are any recommendations they make a police authority on matters within its statutory responsibilities.
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§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the execution of statutory duties by those responsible for the policing in Humberside.
§ Mr. Giles ShawMy right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations from my hon. Friend. from other hon. Members and from a Conservative member of the Humberside police authority.