§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many years the Metropolitan police have been conducting public opinion surveys; how many surveys have been carried out for each year since such surveys have been undertaken; which companies have been employed to undertake the survey in each case; how many people have been interviewed; and what areas of the Metropolitan police district have been covered, in each case; what has been the purpose of the survey, in each case; what has been the cost to public funds, in each case; and if the results of these surveys will be deposited in the Library.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that National Opinion Polls Market Research Limited has been engaged to carry out a public opinion survey in the Metropolitan district (MPD) each year since 1983. The broad purpose of the survey is to assess what the London public expect of the Metropolitan police and the degree of satisfaction with the service it provides. Other information on the surveys is as follows:
1983 1984 1985 1986 Number of people interviewed 4,204 4,309 4,309 2,932 Areas of Metropolitan police district covered—Divisions 8 8 9 all Cost—£ 36,500 39,000 44,420 15,200 I shall arrange for reports of each of the four surveys to be placed in the Library.
These annual surveys largely replace small-scale local surveys that have been carried out on occasions since the late 1960s. Details of these could be provided only at disproportionate cost.