§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of police man hours employed in ambulance duties per police authority, to date.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe readily available information is that up to 31 December police forces had provided approximately the number of man hours shown in the table in assisting the ambulance service in their areas.
Approximate number of man hours Hours Bedfordshire 17,700 Derbyshire 6,900 Dorset 9,500 Hampshire 5,100 Hertfordshire 31,600 Lincolnshire 2,600 South Yorkshire 27,300 Staffordshire 1,750 Surrey 850 Warwickshire 460 West Mercia 6,100 West Midlands 35,500 West Yorkshire 20,700 I understand that in the Metropolitan police district about 460 officers are usually employed in each 24-hour period assisting the ambulance service.
§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per police man hour of deploying the police on ambulance duties(a) outside London and (b) in London.
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§ Mr. Peter LloydThe charge that is made by the Metropolitan police to the regional health authority for police officers who assist the London ambulance service is £16.20 per hour of normal duty time worked. Information about the charges made outside London is not available centrally; the level of charge is determined by the relevant police authority.