§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs officers have been employed by the Government for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. BrookeI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Terry Fieldsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers were in post (a) nationally and (b) in the port of Liverpool each year since 1979; how many Customs and Excise officers were in post (i) nationally and (ii) in the port of Liverpool employed solely on the detection of drugs importation; if he has plans to increase numbers of officers employed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Brooke[pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1986, c. 317]: The number of Customs and Excise officers in post nationally at 1 April for each year since 1979 is as follows:
Year Number 1979 28,870 1980 27,273 1981 26,861 1982 26,256 1983 25,702 1984 25,309 1985 25,557 1986 25,395 The number of Customs and Excise officers in post in the Liverpool collection, which includes the port of Liverpool, at 1 April for each year since 1979 is as follows:
Year Number *1979 957 *1980 868 *1981 790 *1982 772 1983 1,182 1984 1,117 1985 1,104 1986 1,148 * The figures for years before 1983 are not strictly comparable with those for later years because of changes in the boundaries of the Liverpool collection. The number of Customs and Excise preventive officers, whose main priority is drugs detection, in post nationally at 1 April for each year since 1979 is as follows:
436W
Year Number 1979 3,445 1980 3,214 1981 3,027 1982 2,890 1983 2,795 1984 2,721 1985 2,823 *1986 3,000 * Estimated. In addition, the number of specialist drugs investigators is as follows:
Number 1 October 1979 121 1 October 1980 133 1 October 1981 152 1 October 1982 183 1 October 1983 201 1 October 1984 212 1 April 1985 212 1 April 1986 262 For operational reasons it is not policy to disclose the numbers of officers employed on drugs detection in specific locations.
Customs staffing needs are kept under constant review and in the current year 350 additional Customs posts, mainly on the prevention of drugs smuggling, are being provided.