§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers in each of the police authorities in Wales for each of the last five years and the projections for the next three years. [54540]
§ Mr. MichaelThe information requested in respect of the last five years is set out in the table.
Ministers have no direct control over police numbers. Under legislation passed by the previous Government in 1994, it is for individual chief constables to determine the number of police officers in their force, on the basis of the resources made available to them. No decisions have yet been made on funding allocations for individual police authorities over the next three years.
834W
Total police officer strength, Welsh forces, 1994–981 Police force 1994 1995 1996 1997 19982 Dyfed Powys 965 976 991 1,005 1,002 Gwent 993 997 1,044 1,243 1,233 North Wales 1,352 1,366 1,378 1,369 1,396 South Wales 3,131 3,014 3,027 2,976 2,986 Total 6,441 6,353 6,440 6,593 6,617 1 As at 31 March each year 2 Provisional figures