§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and boats were available to the Metropolitan Police Thames Division(a) at the time of the Marchioness disaster and (b) in 1999. [99623]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Metropolitan Police Commissioner tells me that in 1989 there were 146 police officers attached to Thames Division, and 23 boats were deployed from five bases along the length of the River Thames. Today there are 89 police officers and 18 boats all operating out of central headquarters at Wapping, where activity is focused on river traffic monitoring, central London security patrol and emergency response. The fleet has been substantially modernised since 1989 and an additional two boats are due to be delivered before the end of the year. A more diverse range of specialist resources is also now available to Thames Division than in 1989, including digital marine radio, inflatable pathways and vessel tracking.