HC Deb 19 February 1998 vol 306 c784W
Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of police officers per head of population in London relative to those in(a) New York and (b) Paris; and if he will make a statement. [29786]

Mr. Michael

I have not seen any generally helpful comparisons of the levels of policing between difference capital cities. There are such wide variations in the volume and type of crime and in the roles of police officers, civilians and other bodies that any comparisons have to be made with great caution.