§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the procedures and criteria used in sanctioning the manpower levels of the Metropolitan police.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe programme of manpower increases for the Metropolitan police which my right hon. Friend announced last May was based upon a review to assess the force's specific needs for additional manpower. This review sought to establish the proven needs for additional police officers and how the Commissioner would deploy them and with what objectives. It also assessed the extent to which these needs could be met by civilianisation and by the release of police officers as a result of the Commissioner's reorganisation of the force.
As a result it was decided that there should be increases of up to 1,200 in the police establishment and 600 in the civil staff ceiling, phased over four years. As the first step in this programme increases of 300 in the police establishment and 150 in the civil staff ceiling have been authorised for 1986–87. We have made it clear that before authorising further increases over the next three years we shall need to be satisfied that earlier increases have been effectively used in accordance with the agreed objectives, and that satisfactory progress has been made with civilianisation and the force reorganisation. Officials are keeping in close touch with the Metropolitan Police to monitor progress on these matters.