§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the factors underlying the differences between the number of police officers per 1,000 population in Birmingham and Coventry. [52109]
§ Mr. MichaelI understand from the Chief Constable that there are 2.67 officers per 1,000 population in Birmingham and 2.51 officers per 1,000 population in Coventry. It is an operational matter for the Chief Constable to decide how to allocate officers to the territorial divisions of the West Midlands Police. Population would be only one of a number of factors which the Chief Constable would consider when decisions are taken about the deployment of resources.