§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give the number of authorised posts and the number of posts filled in the press and public relations office of the RUC in each year since 1979;
(2) if he will give the total cost incurred by the force control and information centre of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each year since 1979;
(3) if he will give the total amount spent by the Royal Ulster Constabulary on (a) press and public relations and (b) advertising for each year since 1979;
(4) if he will give the number of authorised posts, and the number of posts filled in the force control and information centre of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for each year since 1979.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 9 December 1991]: The RUC press office and the RUC force control centre were amalgamated on 4 October 1982 to form the force control and information centre. Press functions and other services provided by the centre are interrelated, with many of the staff performing duties relating to both functions.
Details of the number of authorised posts and of the number of posts filled, prior to 1985, are no longer available. However, since 1985, the staffing levels in the RUC force control and information centre are as follows:
Authorised posts (RUC) Posts filled (RUC) Authorised posts Civilian staff Posts filled Civilian staff 1985 59 58 7 7 1986 58 55 7 7 1987 58 58 7 7 1988 58 63 7 7 1989 56 61 17.5 17.5 1990 56 61 17.5 17.5 19912 46 51 13.5 13.5 1 Includes one part-time staff. 2 3 November 1991. Financial information is not readily available in the form requested because expenditure on the force control and information centre is subsumed in overall central costs. However, the estimated costs1 incurred by the force control and information centre, since 1985, are as follows:
453W
Year Estimated Total Costs Incurred 1985 1,500,000 1986 1,550,000 1987 1,840,000 1988 2,230,000
Year Estimated Total Costs Incurred 1989 2,380,000 1990 2,630,000 not yet 1991 available 1Prepared in accordance with established ready reckoner figures. Details of the amount spent by the RUC on advertising are not available prior to the financial year 1987–88. However, since then the amount spent by the RUC, on advertising during the period 1987–88 to 1990–91 is as follows:
Year Amount Spent on Advertising 1987–88 47,000 1988–89 37,000 1989–90 22,000 1990–91 49,000