§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Strathclyde to discuss community policing; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas Hamilton[holding answer 2 June 1992]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. Deployment of police officers is a matter for the chief constable within the overall resources available to him. I am sure that the chief constable will have noted the comment of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, in his recent report on Strathclyde police, commending the steps taken by the force to promote community policing, and underlining the need for every effort to be made to maintain and expand such policing. What can be achieved depends in part on the resources made available by the police authority.