Police Force Statistics (Hansard, 27 November 1995)

HC Deb 27 November 1995 vol 267 c463W 463W

§ Ms Janet Anderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average annual change in the number of police officers in England and Wales between(a) 1974 and 1979, (b) 1980 and 1990 and (c) 1991 and 1995. [1678]

§ Mr. Maclean
The average annual increase in police strength was as follows:

Number

(i) 1974 to 1979 +2,245 ¹officers

(ii) 1980 to 1990 +1,378 officers

(iii) 1991 to 1995 (March) +31 ²officers

¹ This includes an increase in actual police strength of 1,816 between May 1979 and December 1979.

² This figure obscures an average annual increase of 424 constables in this period, which has been achieved by a significant delayering of the police service's management structure.

	Number
(i) 1974 to 1979	+2,245 ¹officers
(ii) 1980 to 1990	+1,378 officers
(iii) 1991 to 1995 (March)	+31 ²officers
¹ This includes an increase in actual police strength of 1,816 between May 1979 and December 1979.
² This figure obscures an average annual increase of 424 constables in this period, which has been achieved by a significant delayering of the police service's management structure.