§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the latest data available to his Department in relation to Lancashire police force on the numbers of police officers who are(a) on the establishment of the force, (b) on sick leave, (c) undertaking light duties and (d) representing a full complement of officers for the force. [116975]
§ Mr. StrawUnder the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, which was passed by the previous Government, it is for individual chief constables to determine the number of police officers in their force within the resources that are available. The Lancashire Constabulary does not have a target establishment. I understand from the Chief Constable that there were the full-time equivalent of 3,224 police officers available for ordinary duty in the Lancashire Constabulary on 31 March 2000.
She has also told me that as at 30 March 2000, 178 police officers were recorded by the Constabulary as absent from duty through sickness and 34 officers had formal restrictions placed upon the range of duties they are physically or psychologically able to perform. This latter figure does not include temporary arrangements made locally within the force as and when required.