Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 February,Official Report, column 144, how many police forces currently use encrypted radios; and what assistance his Department gives to police forces in obtaining such equipment.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThirty-eight police forces in England and Wales have digitally encrypted radios for use
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Screening breath test required and the number of positive results—England and Wales 19 December 1991–1 Januarv 1992 19 December 1992–1 Januarv 1993 Police force area Number of breath tests Number with positive outcome Number of breath tests Number with positive outcome Avon and Somerset 1,173 107 514 85 Bedfordshire 479 60 702 59 Cambridgeshire 936 38 1,558 39 Cheshire 903 97 826 78 Cleveland 898 87 621 52 Cumbria 689 61 757 33 Derbyshire 674 49 807 61 Devon and Cornwall 1,244 114 1,263 119 Dorset 422 42 626 62 Durham 710 77 1,015 67 Essex 2,129 124 2,754 105 Gloucestershire 493 46 408 25 Greater Manchester 4,711 350 5,126 297 Hampshire 1,958 149 1,982 134 Hertfordshire 606 62 428 49 Humberside 984 91 525 65 Kent 2,175 120 2,029 109 Lancashire 1,347 146 1,423 127 Leicestershire 1,216 96 1,086 54 Lincolnshire 1,063 33 941 49 on specialist operations. In addition, 19 police forces have purchased an analogue speech privacy device which gives a lower level of security than digitally encrypted radios but can operate with existing radio equipment. The Home Office has provided financial and engineering support for the development and trial of this new equipment and has negotiated favourable purchasing arrangements with suppliers on behalf of the police service.