§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long the post of assistant chief constable of Humberside police remained unfilled between 1984 and 1986; what representations were made to him about that matter; by whom; what representations were made by him or Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary to Humberside county council police committee about the non appointment of an assistant chief constable; what effect the non appointment had upon policing in the county; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdOne of the two assistant chief constable posts in the Humberside force fell vacant on 26 June 1983 and was not filled until 1 February 1986. During this period my hon. Friend wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) and also asked three questions about this matter. We wrote to the Humberside police authority seven times in the same period to urge it to make an appointment. Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary for the region also raised the matter with the authority in writing and in person on a number of occasions. In our view, the effective management of a force of the size of that in Humberside requires two posts at assistant chief constable level and that the long vacancy in one of the posts harmed the efficiency of the force. The filling of the vacancy has restored the senior management team to its correct strength and it is now better placed to secure the operational and financial efficiency of the force.
§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how much spending on Humberside police was reduced between 1983 and 1986 in real and percentage terms; what effect that had upon the civilianisation programme, recruitment and policing; what representations were made to him and by whom about the reduction in the police budget; and if lie will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggReal term changes in public expenditure are calculated by using the gross domestic product deflator as an index of general inflation. Taking the net revenue expenditure of the Humberside police authority in 1982–83 and 1985–86, as notified to the Home Office by the authority, and applying the GDP deflator, there has been an increase in expenditure of 2.1 per cent. in real terms between these years.