§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to the Metropolitan Police of supporting the work of(a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) other outside organisations in the last year for which figures are available. [23984]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Commissioner tells me that the cost of the Metropolitan police's share of supporting the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Secretariat in the financial year 1997–98 is £139,033. The cost of time spent by senior officers in the Metropolitan Police on ACPO business is not captured separately. The total cost to the Metropolitan Police of supporting the work of other organisations is not collected centrally. However, the financial cost to the Metropolitan Police of supporting any named organisation can be provided if it is needed.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the extra training costs(a) in respect of the Metropolitan Police and (b) nationally, as a result of the tenure policy; and what increases are planned in (i) recruitment and (ii) funding to take account of such retraining. [23964]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Commissioner informs me that there has been no increase in the Metropolitan Police's training budget as a result of the introduction of the tenure policy and that there are no plans to increase the number of recruits in response to the policy, although he plans to recruit 1,650 officers in the financial year 1998–99 from within existing budgets. Information in respect of other forces in England and Wales could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
No additional funding to police forces to take account of the introduction of tenure policies is planned, nor would we expect there to be any significant implications for training.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many uniformed officers were on beat duty(a) in London and (b) in Twickenham (i) at the latest available date and (ii) 12 months previously. [23963]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided the available information as follows:
576W
Uniform Constables performing street duty Twickenham Metropolitan police service Average per day in September 1997 56.5 14,155.0 Average per day in September 1996 57.1 14,306.9 1 As a result of problems with the Metropolitan Police's computer system, these figures do not include the following Divisions: Brixton; Chingford; Forest Gate; Hackney; and Shoreditch and Golders Green.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recruitment targets for the Metropolitan Police Service in(a) 1997 and (b) 1998. [23935]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that he is currently planning the following staffing levels:
Police officers Civil staff Traffic wardens 31 March 1998 26,800 13,488 1,180 31 March 1999 26,950 113,372 1,020 The latest figure the Metropolitan Police has on recruitment of officers in the financial year 1997–98 is 1,181 officers. Strength as at 31 March 1997 was 226,677. The Commissioner tells me that in order to replace wastage and reach his 31 March 1999 police target, the Metropolitan Police plan to recruit 1,650 new officers during 1998–99 financial year.
1This includes the effect of major outsourcing contracts.2This figure include officers seconded to the Metropolitan Police but not those seconded out to regional crime squads and central services.