§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the number of policemen on the beat in North Devon.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe deployment of resources within the Devon and Cornwall constabulary is a matter for the chief constable. He must decide how best to deploy his officers in order to meet his operational priorities and the objectives of his force.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish crime figures for North Devon for each year since 1979;
(2) if he will provide details of the numbers of crimes, by category, (a) committed and (b) solved in North Devon between April 1991 and April 1992.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures showing the level of funding of Devon and Cornwall constabulary for each year since 1987 at 1987 prices.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe following table shows the total expenditure of the Devon and Cornwall constabulary for the years requested. Specific grant at the rate of 51 per cent. is paid on police expenditure.
275W
Year Total net expenditure £ million Expenditure at 1987–88 prices £ million 1987–88 76.629 76.629 1988–89 85.227 79.443 1989–90 93.697 81.951 11990–91 107.797 87.313 11991–92 121.467 92.027 1 21992–93 137.560 99.971 1 Because of change in capital financing arrangements in 1990 some caution should be used in comparing 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 with earlier years. 2 Estimated expenditure.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to enable the appointment of more police officers in Devon and Cornwall.
§ Mr. Charles WardleIn view of the present economic situation, and the need to constrain public expenditure, my right hon. and learned Friend has decided that the costs of increases in establishment for police forces in 1993–94 cannot be justified.