§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the constabularies of England showing(a) their establishments and (b) the numbers of constables they are short of. [98121]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe powers of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to set police force establishment levels were removed under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. It is for individual chief officers to determine the staffing requirements for each force within the overall resources available. Information on police officer strength is collected at the end of March and September. The figures for 31 March 1999 will be placed in the Library.
Future staffing levels are for chief officers 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 the police to recruit 5,000 officers, over and above those that they had otherwise planned to recruit over the next three years.
§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average earnings are of police constables in England, excluding the Metropolitan police. [98120]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe data to calculate the average earnings of a police constable in England are not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. A police constable on appointment will, however, receive £16,635 in salary, rising to £18,612 after initial training and £19,713 on successful completion of two years probationary service. The maximum salary is £26,325, exclusive of allowances and overtime payments where appropriate.