§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives his Department is undertaking to ensure that other Government departments are identifying areas where they can improve community safety and reduce crime; and if he will make a statement. [75245]
§ Mr. BoatengWe are working with the Departments of Health and for Education and Employment to produce guidance on how the services for which they are responsible can make a constructive contribution to the work of local crime and disorder reduction partnerships. We will consider what more can be done to ensure that all Departments take account of community safety.
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the Audit Commission report Safety in Numbers, Promoting Community Safety. [75244]
272W
Civilian and traffic warden strength 1, by Police Force, as at 31 March 1997 and 30 September 1998 Civilians2 Traffic wardens 31 March 1997 30 September 1998 31 March 1997 30 September1998 Avon and Somerset 1,439 1,435 108 101 Bedfordshire 484 513 31 26 Cambridgeshire 607 572 39 37 Cheshire 735 786 34 33 City of London 347 334 0 0 Cleveland 609 585 22 24 Cumbria 451 462 21 19 Derbyshire 723 802 50 52 Devon and Cornwall 1,159 1,224 114 117 Dorset 615 691 61 46 Durham 583 551 22 21 Dyfed-Powys 322 346 20 16 Essex 1,199 1,260 136 123 Gloucestershire 435 451 33 35 Greater Manchester 2,612 2,616 208 172 Gwent 452 491 34 32 Hampshire 1,316 1,381 77 72 Hertfordshire 818 827 72 49 Humberside 718 797 60 58 Kent 1,384 1,502 58 36 Lancashire 1,126 1,242 115 109 Leicestershire 755 766 79 75 Lincolnshire 521 524 24 25 Merseyside 1,343 1,453 132 105 Metropolitan Police 13,493 12,033 1,383 1,062 Norfolk 603 641 43 42 Northamptonshire 554 608 25 24 Northumbria 1,365 1,430 112 73 North Wales 476 489 18 15 North Yorkshire 520 535 26 27 Nottinghamshire 1,003 995 68 57 South Wales 1,206 1,149 106 105 South Yorkshire 1,291 1,254 80 82 Staffordshire 763 878 37 31 Suffolk 522 595 33 33 Surrey 727 734 30 25 Sussex 1,149 1,216 140 133 Thames Valley 1,825 1,827 117 101 Warwickshire 376 403 12 9 West Mercia 942 979 38 30 West Midlands 2,739 2,605 210 204 West Yorkshire 2,234 2,281 136 123 Wiltshire 475 542 21 17 NCS n/a 306 0 0 NCIS n/a 265 0 0 Total strength 53,011 53,370 4,181 3,570 1 Figures rounded to the nearest full-time equivalent 2 Staff seconded to National Crime Squad (NCS) and National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) are not separately identified but are included in the force figures
§ Mr. BoatengI welcome the Audit Commission report; it provides a valuable analysis of progress to date and we are studying carefully the recommendations which it contains. We have worked closely with the Audit Commission and other key partners in developing the local crime and disorder reduction partnerships. We intend to continue that co-operation so as to ensure that the initiative is effective.