HL Deb 23 November 1989 vol 513 cc233-5WA
Lord Norrie

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are able to announce their decisions on increases in police establishments for 1990–91.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is able to approve 1,100 additional police posts for 1990–91. Nine hundred and fifty of these are to be allocated to the provincial forces, and 150 to the Metropolitan Police. In addition, he can approve up to 60 posts where he is satisfied that the full cost would be reimbursed by a third party.

Applications from police authorities for increases in establishments have exceeded the number of posts available for allocation, and my right honourable friend has therefore had to set priorities. With advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, my right honourable friend has approved increases, with effect from 1st April 1990, as shown in the following table. In a number of cases, his approval of extra police posts for forces is conditional on the police authorities' confirmation that their share of funding is available.

Force
Avon and Somerset 10
Bedfordshire 8
Cambridgeshire 7
Cheshire 20
Cleveland 13
Cumbria 19
Derbyshire 19
Devon and Cornwall 17
Dorset 14
Essex 55
Greater Manchester (1) 54
Gwent 2
Hampshire 25
Herfordshire 18
Humberside 15
Kent 50
Lancashire 28
Leicestershire 53
Lincolnshire 14
Norfolk 46
Northamptonshire 20
Northumbria (1) 38
North Wales 21
North Yorkshire 25
Nottinghamshire 26
South Wales 31
South Yorkshire 20
Staffordshire 14
Suffolk 18
Surrey 10
Sussex (1) 39
Thames Valley 65
Warwickshire 15
West Mercia 32
West Midlands 63
West Yorkshire 20
Wiltshire 13
Total 957
(1) Includes approval for 23 posts for Manchester Airport; 25 for Gatwick Airport and 10 for the Tyne and Wear Metro where the costs are reimbursed by a third party.

Over 90 per cent. of the posts approved will be deployed on operational duties identified by chief constables, mainly at constable level.

My right honourable friend has also retained 51 posts for allocation to regional crime squads specifically for their work in connection with drugs. He awaits the advice of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary before he decides on their specific allocation.

In addition to police posts, provision has been made for 1,200 additional civilian posts (150 for the Metropolitan Police) which it is intended should help forces to continue to obtain police officers through civilianisation.