HC Deb 21 November 1991 vol 199 cc267-8W
Mr. McWilliam

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by police authority in England(a) the number of police officers who would have been lost to force establishments if the 1991–92 budget reductions had fallen entirely on manpower and (b) the actual number of police officers it is planned to reduce the force establishments by in that year.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

It is for police authorities to set force budgets and determine police strength. I am aware that some authorities set budgets for 1991–92 on a basis likely to result in the strength of the police force falling below the establishment which I had approved: Merseyside by 100 officers, Northumbria by 116, West Yorkshire by around 200, and Derbyshire by a cumulative figure of 130.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will show the marginal cost of every extra 10 police officers in West Yorkshire above the present establishment for the poll tax payers of Leeds, taking into account the impact of charge capping on the West Yorkshire police authority budget.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

This information can be provided only by the West Yorkshire police authority.