§ Charlotte AtkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total staffing levels of the Staffordshire Police Authority were for(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97, (d) 1997–98, and (e) 1998–99: what the projected levels are for (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01, (iii) 2001–02 and (iv) 2002–03; and if he will give these figures broken down by front-line and other staff. [96989]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeInformation on police officer and civilian support staff strength is collected at the end of March and September. The figures for the period requested are set out in the table.
Total officer strength Total civilian strength 31 March 1994 2,208 1734 31 March 1995 2,231 749 31 March 1996 2,209 754 31 March 1997 2,211 763 31 March 1998 2,292 866 31 March 1999 2,238 1,004 1 As at 31 December 1993 The powers of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to set police establishment levels for each force were removed under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. It is for the chief officer to determine staffing requirements within the overall resources available. This year, Staffordshire Police Authority has set a budget that will allow the force to spend up to £122.2 million—an increase of £3.3 million or 2.7 per cent. over 1998–99. This increase, along with the 2 per cent. efficiency improvements that have been set, should be sufficient for the force to maintain levels of service. Future staffing levels are for the Chief Constable to determine within the overall resources available. However, the Government are making available additional resources, in a new ring-fenced Crime Fighting Fund, to enable forces to recruit 5,000 more police officers, over and above those that they had otherwise planned to recruit over the next three years. Staffordshire Police will be able to apply for a share of this funding.
198W
§ Charlotte AtkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Government funding Staffordshire Police Authority received in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97, (d) 1997–98 and (e) 1998–99 and will receive in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01, (iii) 2001–02 and (iv) 2002–03 in real terms; and from what other sources the Staffordshire Police Authority has received funding for the same years as above. [96988]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe information requested in respect of years 1994–95 to 1999–2000 is set out in the table. Information for later years is not available, but the provisional police funding settlement for 2000–01 will be announced in the next few weeks.
In addition to the Government funding set out in the table, police authorities can also use income from council tax to meet their budget requirements.
Government funding £ million 1 1995–96 Price Base £ million Real terms increase on previous year Percentage 1994–952 52.313 n/a — 1995–96 89.194 89.194 — 1996–97 97.044 94.016 5.4 1997–98 99.204 96.518 2.7 1998–99 98.519 96.082 -0.5 1999–2000 99.449 97.024 1.0 1 Includes Police revenue grant, capital grant, loan charges grant paid on pre, 1990 debt, grants paid under section 48 of the Police Act 1996, grant for special constabulary, grant paid for implementation of Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, special grant towards policing costs of Birmingham Northern Relief Road, Revenue Support grant and National Non Domestic Rates, both of whom fall to the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. 2 Excludes Revenue Support Grant and National Non Domestic Rates—no separately identifiable figures for the police within total allocation paid to County Council. The table shows the breakdown of funding paid to Staffordshire from 1994–95 and to 1999–2000, and the Treasury Gross Domestic Product deflators used to convert the totals to the same price base (1995–96) to show the real terms increases.