§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of policing levels in London; which areas he has assessed as being(a) over-policed and (b) under-policed; and if he will make a statement. [16221]
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 17 February 1997]: The deployment of officers across London, in order to meet the agreed objectives set in the annual policing plan and to use police resources most effectively to combat crime in the capital, is a matter for the Commissioner and his senior officers. My right hon. and learned Friend and I regularly meet the Commissioner to discuss, among other matters, the performance of the Metropolitan police. I look forward to seeing the Commissioner's annual report on the Metropolitan police's performance during 1996–97.
My assessment is that policing levels in London continue to improve. Since 1979, the Government have approved increases in Metropolitan police spending worth nearly 90 per cent. in real terms. The settlement for 1997–98 provides an extra £55 million over the 1996–97 allocation. This represents a 3.4 per cent. increase. The Commissioner, in welcoming the settlement, said that it would enable him to increase officer strength during 1997 to at leat 27,400. He then aims to hold that level to the end of the financial year. Latest nationally published statistics from the Audit Commission show spending on policing in the Metropolitan police district of £211 per head of population, compared with the national average 431W of £100. The figure in Surrey is around £105 per head of population. Audit Commission statistics also show that the number of police officers available for ordinary duty per 1,000 per population is 3.5 in the Metropolitan police district, well above the national average of 2.1.
There are now around 4,500 more police officers in the Metropolitan police than there were in 1979. This is an increase of 20 per cent. More uniformed constables are now deployed to divisions than at the time of the last election. Moreover, a higher proportion of their time is spent on street duties: 35 per cent. compared to 32 per cent. in 1992 and 26 per cent. in 1984. The Commissioner's restructuring exercise has slimmed down headquarters staffing levels, releasing hundreds of officers for front-line duties.
The Metropolitan police's operational performance continues to improve. The number of recorded notifiable offences has fallen by over 10 per cent. since 1992–93. Successful campaigns to target burglars, Operation Bumblebee, and street robbery, Operation Eagle Eye, have been complemented by Operation Crackdown, targeting the illegal supply and demand for drugs. These three offences, which impact so seriously on the quality of life for Londoners, feature as three of the six objectives in the agreed policing plan for 1996–97. The inclusion of drugs as an agreed objective for 1996–97 is a direct response to the Government White Paper, "Tackling Drugs Together". Figures from the Metropolitan police show that homicides are now at their lowest level since 1981. There were 132 murders in the capital in 1996—down 25 per cent. since 1991. Domestic burglary has fallen by 20 per cent. since 1991 and the overall clear-up rate has risen from one in six in 1991 to nearly one in four in the 12 months to November 1996. Moreover, the results from Operation Eagle eye indicate a slowing down in the growth of street robbery and an increase in the detection rate from 10 per cent. to 19 per cent. The latest Audit Commission report also shows that Londoners enjoy the best emergency response from their police of any major city in the country.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) police constables in the Metropolitan police were (i) budgeted for and (ii) in post in March of each year since 1992; and what are the (1) numbers budgeted for and (2) estimated numbers in post for March 1997. [16217]
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 17 February 1997]: The information requested is given in the table. The Commissioner, in welcoming the settlement for 1997–98, said that it would enable him to increase officer strength during 1997 to 27,400. He will then aim to maintain that level for the rest of the financial year.
432W
Police establishment at 31 March1 Actual strength at 31 March Year Total Constables Total Constables 1992 28,471 21,495 28,484 21,142 1993 28,308 21,388 28,290 21,031 1994 28,274 21,463 28,135 21,208 1995 28,099 21,316 27,945 21,433 1996 1— 1— 27,834 21,588 1997 March2 1— 1— 27,185 20,989 1997 September2 1— 1— 27,400 21,190 1 The police establishment provided up to 31 March 1995 was that set annually by the Home Secretary. Since 1 April 1995, the settlement for all police forces has been based on the new national funding formula covering total resources. Police establishments are no longer set centrally.
2 Estimated.