§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police constables on the complement were operating full time within the Colchester garrison on(a) 1 January and (b) 1 June; and what is the number planned for 1 October 1997. [2078]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Constable and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from M. J. A. Smallwood to Mr Bob Russell, dated 9 June 1997:
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about Ministry of Defence Police at Colchester Garrison, on behalf of the Chief Constable/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency, as this falls into his area of responsibility. The Chief Constable/Chief Executive is away from the office at present.There were 30 uniformed MOD Police officers of the rank of constable deployed at Colchester Garrison on 1 January and 25 on 1 June 1997. Based on current planning assumptions we anticipate that there will be 21 MDP constables deployed in and around the Colchester Garrison area on 1 October 1997.