HC Deb 09 June 1999 vol 332 cc332-3W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be(a) the establishment and (b) actual numbers of officers in post of the London River Police on 1 January 2000; and if he will make a statement.[86036]

Kate Hoey

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the target strength for the Thames Division on 1 January 2000 will be 89 officers and that he expects that number to be in post then. At the moment the strength is 101.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the staffing requirement of the London River Police over the Millennium public holiday; and if he will make a statement. [86037]

Kate Hoey

The deployment of officers in the Thames Division of the Metropolitan Police is an operational matter for the Commissioner. He tells me that during the Millennium public holiday he expects that the full strength of the Division, 89 officers, will be deployed on a 24-hour shift pattern. The deployment of resources will be kept under review, and altered as necessary if new events related to the Millennium are planned.