HC Deb 17 January 2000 vol 342 cc302-16W
Mr. Ashdown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the real terms change in police budgets in each English county and Metropolitan area for each year from 1990–91 to 2001–02; if he will provide estimates on the same basis excluding moneys needed to fund annual increases in police pensions; and if he will make a statement. [105097]

Mr. Boateng

The information available, which has been compiled from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Police Statistics, is set out in the tables. Police authority budgets for 2001–02 have not been set. Information on net police pensions expenditure for 1990–91 to 1992–93 is not readily available.

Table 1: Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in real terms, 1990–91 to 1999–2000
1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
£000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%)
Northumbria 124,873 3.0 139,999 5.6 145,882 0.9 160,045 6.9 175,837 8.3
North Wales 45,838 2.4 51,608 6.0 57,140 7.2 59,818 2.0 62,647 3.3
North Yorkshire 48,995 2.5 53,161 2.2 60,123 9.5 63,477 2.8 63,772 -1.0
Nottinghamshire 79,305 5.8 85,209 1.2 92,856 5.5 98,755 3.6 106,195 6.0
South Wales 108,737 2.5 122,294 5.9 129,897 2.8 134,019 0.5 133,688 -1.7
South Yorkshire 101,200 3.9 108,676 1.1 122,395 9.0 129,441 3.0 137,623 4.8
Staffordshire 76,903 6.5 84,322 3.2 90,497 3.9 96,896 4.3 100,265 2.0
Suffolk 44,755 4.0 49,246 3.6 52,052 2.3 55,460 3.8 56,828 1.0
Surrey 59,126 3.1 64,426 2.6 71,426 7.3 75,322 2.7 84,371 10.4
Sussex 94,916 2.5 108,489 7.6 117,529 4.9 122,444 1.5 130,382 5.0
Thames Valley 146,950 12.5 156,072 0.0 165,443 2.6 179,632 5.8 192,080 5.4
Warwickshire 37,963 9.9 41,479 2.9 44,128 3.0 47,637 5.2 50,000 3.5
West Mercia 70,480 3.7 79,836 6.7 84,508 2.5 91,372 5.3 98,108 5.9
West Midlands 231,478 2.7 254,477 3.5 288,798 9.9 297,807 0.5 313,518 3.8
West Yorkshire 190,733 4.8 206,169 1.8 215,727 1.3 226,900 2.5 236,100 2.6
Wiltshire 41,547 6.9 46,907 6.3 51,912 7.1 54,252 -1.8 59,155 7.5

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
£000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%) £000 (+/-%)
Avon and Somerset 141,091 -2.9 152,087 4.4 152,673 -2.4 162,726 3.2 174,424 4.8
Bedfordshire 54,533 2.9 56,627 0.6 58,570 0.6 61,778 2.1 64,027 1.4
Cambridgeshire 61,003 1.1 65,024 3.3 68,681 2.7 73,432 3.5 75,363 0.4
Cheshire 87,315 2.5 94,177 4.5 104,005 7.4 107.093 -0.3 111,094 1.5
City of London 56,042 4.0 57,317 -0.9 57,893 -1.8 60,350 0.9 58,719 -4.8
Cleveland 68,558 -3.4 73,108 3.3 75,426 0.3 81,295 4.4 85,397 2.7
Cumbria 53,444 -4.3 56,856 3.1 61,709 5.6 62,532 -1.9 64,693 1.2
Derbyshire 86,015 -0.9 90,420 1.8 95,641 2.9 100,064 1.3 107,035 4.6
Devon and Cornwall 144,513 -0.3 150,392 0.8 155,435 0.5 166,330 3.6 173,649 2.1
Dorset 63,276 -7.2 67,831 3.9 69,727 0.0 73,117 1.5 77,749 4.0
Durham 62,432 2.4 68,035 5.6 75,166 7.5 74,673 -3.8 80,712 5.7
Dyfed-Powys 46,197 -1.5 47,869 0.4 50,952 3.5 50,040 -4.9 56,143 9.7
Essex n/a n/a 151,412 n/a 157,487 1.2 156,822 -3.6 171,590 7.0
Gloucestershire 53,977 -4.9 58,420 4.9 58,633 -2.4 62,862 3.8 65,933 2.6
Greater Manchester 331,304 0.3 341,170 -0.2 353,319 0.7 354,171 -2.9 387,256 6.9
Gwent 44,436 -2.2 57,742 25.9 64,598 8.8 67,655 1.4 71,414 3.2
Hampshire 163,193 2.2 172,845 2.6 180,791 1.7 186,661 0.0 196,955 3.2
Hertfordshire 87,825 1.1 88,863 -2.0 93,011 1.8 95,068 -1.0 102,361 5.3
Humberside 96,418 1.5 99,719 0.2 106,220 3.6 112,571 2.6 114,306 -0.7
Kent 155,223 -1.9 161,625 0.9 174,211 4.8 175,577 -2.4 186,225 3.7
Lancashire 152,225 1.9 161,865 3.0 169,275 1.7 177,310 1.4 182,679 0.8
Leicestershire 86,855 4.0 92,853 3.6 98,789 3.5 102,790 0.8 106,279 1.1
Lincolnshire n/a n/a 61,508 n/a 66,184 4.7 66,664 -2.5 69,970 2.6
Merseyside 220,007 -0.8 221,172 -2.6 224,327 -1.3 240,267 3.7 249,522 1.6
Metropolitan Police 1,639,392 0.3 1,683,181 -0.5 1,676,617 -3.1 1,716,425 -0.9 1,840,245 4.9
Norfolk 70,378 -0.2 75,547 4.0 80,222 3.3 80,543 -2.8 86,870 5.5
Northamptonshire 57,075 -8.0 59,252 0.6 64,605 6.1 67,057 0.5 70,432 2.7
Northumbria 178,820 -1.2 186,410 1.0 195,092 1.8 205,270 1.9 213,010 1.5
North Wales 65,933 2.3 68,266 0.3 70,920 1.0 72,481 -1.0 80,505 8.6
North Yorkshire 63,096 -3.8 67,042 2.9 71,840 4.2 75,344 1.6 78,085 1.4
Nottinghamshire 106,334 -2.7 113,591 3.5 120,556 3.2 127,018 2.0 130,173 0.2
South Wales 144,452 5.0 147,458 -1.1 159,411 5.1 160.938 -2.2 169,968 3.3
South Yorkshire 144,354 1.9 150,949 1.3 166,027 7.0 167,159 -2.5 173,933 1.8
Staffordshire 98,661 -4.4 107,832 5.9 110,264 -0.5 116,231 2.1 127,472 7.3
Suffolk 55,814 -4.5 60,963 5.8 63,676 1.6 66,096 0.5 70,538 4.4
Surrey 83,000 -4.4 85,345 -0.4 90,976 3.7 91,425 -2.7 100,375 7.4
Sussex 137,785 2.7 150,626 5.9 157,631 1.8 161,847 -0.6 165,804 0.2
Thames Valley 194,465 -1.6 201,397 0.3 210,333 1.6 209,675 -3.5 232,729 8.6
Warwickshire 47,760 -7.2 47,686 -3.3 51,003 4.0 52,015 -1.2 56,157 5.6
West Mercia 95,886 -5.0 102,078 3.1 107,788 2.7 113,755 2.2 116,490 0.2
West Midlands 331,075 2.6 337,992 -1.1 360,129 3.6 368,608 -0.9 380,971 1.1
West Yorkshire 238,801 -1.7 265,233 7.6 281,745 3.3 277,994 -4.4 288,865 1.6
Wiltshire 54,448 -10.5 59,993 6.7 58,535 -5.1 68,811 13.8 69,715 -0.9

Notes:

1990–91 to 1998–99—CIPFA Police Statistics Actuals

1999–2000—CIPFA Police Statistics Estimates

Real terms increases based on Treasury GDP Deflators published on 23 December 1999

Table 2: Police force net expenditure 1993–94 to 1999–2000; percentage increase in real terms excluding pensions expenditure
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
Avon and Somerset -1.4 3.7 -3.6 2.1 -4.0 5.5 2.1
Bedfordshire 5.6 1.6 2.1 -0.1 -1.6 0.9 0.2
Cambridgeshire 8.1 0.1 0.6 1.7 1.7 3.4 -1.8
Cheshire 4.4 2.3 -0.3 8.2 4.0 1.3 -2.0
City of London 9.6 -0.1 0.9 -0.2 -3.0 -5.3 -1.0
Cleveland 0.7 4.4 -3.5 3.0 1.4 1.1 -2.0
Cumbria -1.2 3.0 -5.4 1.5 5.7 -4.2 0.7
Derbyshire 0.2 5.0 -4.1 1.7 2.0 2.8 1.1
Devon and Cornwall 1.4 1.3 -2.8 0.3 -0.5 3.1 0.9
Dorset -0.2 9.2 -9.2 3.6 -2.0 1.5 1.5
Durham 1.8 2.8 2.5 4.9 1.6 2.9 5.1
Dyfed-Powys 0.0 6.7 -5.9 3.6 3.9 -5.8 8.4
Essex 3.0 n/a n/a 0.0 -0.1 -5.2 7.1
Gloucestershire 1.3 5.8 -6.7 1.1 -1.8 3.4 1.6
Greater Manchester 4.1 3.2 -2.2 -1.0 -2.4 -1.9 5.0
Gwent -1.3 1.5 0.5 23.7 6.5 3.6 1.2
Hampshire -0.2 3.4 0.1 3.9 1.7 -0.6 1.2
Hertfordshire 2.7 12.3 1.1 -4.1 1.0 -0.6 1.0
Humberside -1.4 2.1 -0.5 1.1 0.9 3.1 -2.4
Kent 1.9 6.9 -3.5 1.6 2.1 -2.2 1.1
Lancashire 2.3 1.7 0.3 1.9 1.4 3.0 -1.3
Leicestershire 0.6 0.5 3.9 5.3 n/a n/a n/a
Lincolnshire 1.4 n/a n/a 1.6 3.1 -3.1 0.1
Merseyside 3.1 1.6 -2.5 -5.2 -0.3 4.3 -0.2
Metropolitan Police -0.8 -1.3 1.0 -1.6 -4.5 -2.3 4.1
Norfolk 1.6 3.6 -2.4 2.9 2.9 -1.5 3.6
North Wales 1.0 4.1 -0.1 -1.5 0.0 -1.8 7.6
North Yorkshire -2.3 1.7 -3.1 2.0 3.8 2.5 -1.1
Northamptonshire 1.6 5.3 -7.5 0.6 2.7 2.2 0.9
Northumbria 6.0 8.4 -5.1 1.1 0.7 2.8 0.1
Nottinghamshire 1.9 5.6 -3.0 3.1 0.0 2.8 -0.7
South Wales 0.9 -4.8 2.5 -2.0 0.5 0.6 3.6
South Yorkshire 2.5 6.0 1.1 1.5 2.8 0.6 -0.6
Staffordshire 3.0 3.8 -4.3 2.5 -4.0 6.6 2.7
Suffolk 0.5 0.4 -7.2 5.5 1.5 0.6 3.1
Surrey 2.9 9.6 -5.1 -1.0 -0.9 0.2 7.1
Sussex 1.0 5.3 -0.6 5.4 1.1 -1.2 -2.6
Thames Valley Police 4.4 5.3 -3.3 0.0 0.0 -2.9 7.1
Warwickshire 2.7 2.3 -9.3 -1.6 -1.7 -0.2 3.1
West Mercia 4.0 3.6 -4.6 1.9 1.8 0.8 -0.2
West Midlands 0.0 2.2 1.7 -0.9 1.3 0.0 -0.2
West Yorkshire 0.3 2.4 -0.8 6.5 1.6 -4.4 -0.5
Wiltshire 1.5 6.9 -10.9 0.2 2.3 13.3 -2.2
Total 1.2 -1.1 1.1 0.6 -0.5 -0.2 1.8

Notes:

1993–94 to 1998–99—CIPFA Police Statistics Actuals

1999–2000—CIPFA Police Statistics Estimates

Real terms increase based on Treasury GDP Deflators published on 23 December 1999

Mr. Ashdown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the Avon and Somerset force in each year from 1985 to 1999, giving figures on a quarterly basis from 1995 onwards; and if he will make a statement. [105094]

Mr. Boateng

The information available is set out in the table. Since 1995 police numbers have been collected only twice a year—in March and September—so as to reduce administrative burdens on the police.

Avon and Somerset constabulary police numbers—1985 to 1999
Number of officers
Year As at 31 March As at 30 September
1985 2,982
1986 2,958
1987 3,009
1988 3,013

Avon and Somerset constabulary police numbers—1985 to 1999
Number of officers
Year As at 31 March As at 30 September
1989 3,014
1990 3,094
1991 3,092
1992 3,081
1993 3,068
1994 3,033
1995 3,000 2,986
1996 2,981 3,004
1997 2,989 2,973
1998 2,976 2,966
1999 2,999 Not yet available

Mr. Ashdown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of police officers(a) per head of population and (b) per notifiable offence, in each year from 1992 to 1999, in each English county and Metropolitan area, listing these in each case in descending order. [105096]

Mr. Boateng

The estimates are given in the following tables. Owing to the structure of police forces, the areas quoted are police force areas rather than counties.

1992
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 119
Surrey 32
Merseyside 31
Metropolitan police 30
Wiltshire 29
Hertfordshire 29
Suffolk 27
Cumbria 26
West Mercia 26
North Yorkshire 26
Devon and Cornwall 25
Essex 25
Sussex 25
Dorset 25
Lincolnshire 24
Lancashire 24
Cheshire 24
Staffordshire 22
Warwickshire 22
South Yorkshire 22
Norfolk 21
West Midlands 21
Hampshire 21
Durham 21
Northamptonshire 19
Gloucestershire 19
Derbyshire 19
Kent 19
Thames Valley 19
Leicestershire 19
Cambridgeshire 19
Bedfordshire 18
Greater Manchester 18
Avon and Somerset 18
Cleveland 18
West Yorkshire 17
Humberside 16
Northumbria 15
Nottinghamshire 14
1993
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 147
Merseyside 33
Surrey 32
Metropolitan police 31
Wiltshire 30
Hertfordshire 30
Suffolk 29
Cumbria 27
Sussex 27
Essex 26
Dorset 25
West Mercia 25
Devon and Cornwall 24
North Yorkshire 24
Lancashire 24
Cheshire 24
Lincolnshire 23
Warwickshire 22
Norfolk 22
Hampshire 22
1993
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
Staffordshire 22
West Midlands 21
Durham 21
Northamptonshire 20
Derbyshire 20
Bedfordshire 20
Kent 19
Greater Manchester 19
South Yorkshire 19
Cambridgeshire 19
Thames Valley 19
Cleveland 19
Gloucestershire 19
Leicestershire 18
Avon and Somerset 17
West Yorkshire 17
Northumbria 17
Nottinghamshire 15
Humberside 14
1994
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 169
Surrey 36
Merseyside 34
Wiltshire 33
Metropolitan police 32
Suffolk 31
Hertfordshire 31
Sussex 28
Essex 28
Cumbria 28
Devon and Cornwall 27
Norfolk 26
Cheshire 25
Lincolnshire 25
Lancashire 25
Warwickshire 25
West Mercia 25
Staffordshire 24
Dorset 23
Hampshire 23
West Midlands 22
Bedfordshire 22
Durham 21
North Yorkshire 21
Derbyshire 21
Thames Valley 21
Greater Manchester 21
Cambridgeshire 20
Northamptonshire 20
Kent 20
South Yorkshire 19
Gloucestershire 19
Leicestershire 18
Avon and Somerset 18
Northumbria 18
Cleveland 17
West Yorkshire 17
Nottinghamshire 15
Humberside 15
1995
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 155
Surrey 38
Wiltshire 35
Metropolitan police 34
1995
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
Suffolk 31
Hertfordshire 30
Merseyside 30
Essex 30
Cumbria 28
Devon and Cornwall 28
Norfolk 27
Sussex 27
Cheshire 26
Warwickshire 26
Lancashire 26
West Mercia 26
Lincolnshire 25
Staffordshire 24
Hampshire 24
Dorset 24
Durham 23
West Midlands 22
Bedfordshire 22
Derbyshire 22
Thames Valley 22
Greater Manchester 21
Gloucestershire 21
North Yorkshire 20
Northamptonshire 20
Kent 20
South Yorkshire 20
Leicestershire 20
Avon and Somerset 20
Cambridgeshire 19
Northumbria 19
Cleveland 18
West Yorkshire 18
Humberside 16
Nottinghamshire 15
1996
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 180
Surrey 39
Wiltshire 34
Metropolitan police 32
Hertfordshire 31
Suffolk 31
Merseyside 30
Cheshire 30
Essex 29
Devon and Cornwall 28
Cumbria 28
Durham 27
Sussex 26
Lancashire 26
Dorset 25
Norfolk 25
Warwickshire 25
Hampshire 25
West Mercia 25
Lincolnshire 24
Staffordshire 24
North Yorkshire 23
West Midlands 22
Derbyshire 22
Bedfordshire 22
Northumbria 22
Thames Valley 21
Greater Manchester 21
Gloucestershire 21
Kent 21
Leicestershire 20
South Yorkshire 20
1996
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
Northamptonshire 20
West Yorkshire 19
Avon and Somerset 19
Cleveland 18
Cambridgeshire 18
Nottinghamshire 16
Humberside 16
1997
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 167
Surrey 42
Hertfordshire 35
Wiltshire 35
Cheshire 34
Metropolitan police 34
Merseyside 34
Suffolk 33
Essex 33
Cumbria 32
Durham 30
Devon and Cornwall 30
Dorset 29
Hampshire 28
Sussex 28
Lincolnshire 28
Lancashire 27
Norfolk 27
North Yorkshire 27
West Mercia 27
Kent 27
Northumbria 26
Warwickshire 26
West Midlands 25
Staffordshire 25
Derbyshire 24
South Yorkshire 24
Leicestershire 24
Gloucestershire 24
Thames Valley 23
Bedfordshire 23
Cleveland 23
Greater Manchester 23
Northamptonshire 22
Cambridgeshire 22
West Yorkshire 21
Avon and Somerset 21
Nottinghamshire 18
Humberside 17

Note:

Based on police officers at 31 March

Year ending March 1999
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
London (City of) 129
Surrey 46
Hertfordshire 37
Durham 35
Wiltshire 35
Cheshire 35
Suffolk 35
Metropolitan police 34
Essex 33
Devon and Cornwall 33
Merseyside 32
Cumbria 32
Lancashire 31
Hampshire 30
Year ending March 1999
Police force Officers per 1,000 offences
West Mercia 29
Dorset 29
Kent 29
Northumbria 29
Lincolnshire 29
North Yorkshire 28
Norfolk 27
Staffordshire 26
West Midlands 26
Sussex 26
South Yorkshire 25
Warwickshire 25
Gloucestershire 25
Leicestershire 24
Derbyshire 24
Bedfordshire 24
Thames Valley 23
Avon and Somerset 23
Cleveland 22
Cambridgeshire 21
Northamptonshire 20
Greater Manchester 20
West Yorkshire 20
Nottinghamshire 18
Humberside 17

Notes:

1. Based on police officers at 31 March 1999

2. New counting rules and offence coverage for recorded crime were introduced on 1 April 1998

3. Figures are based on an estimate of offences which would have been recorded had the old counting rules been in place

1992
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 20,460.9
Metropolitan police 387.8
Merseyside 320.1
Greater Manchester 272.6
Cleveland 267.5
West Midlands 265.5
West Yorkshire 245.7
Northumbria 241.9
Cumbria 239.6
Humberside 235.8
South Yorkshire 232.1
Durham 231.7
Nottinghamshire 229.3
Lancashire 229.2
Surrey 228.3
Gloucestershire 220.9
Avon and Somerset 217.4
Wiltshire 217.3
Sussex 210.6
Staffordshire 209.1
Leicestershire 205.5
Warwickshire 205.1
Bedfordshire 204.1
Lincolnshire 202.3
Kent 201.5
Hertfordshire 201.1
Northamptonshire 199.6
Essex 197.7
Dorset 195.8
Cheshire 195.4
Devon and Cornwall 193.5
North Yorkshire 192.5
Hampshire 191.5
Thames Valley 190.2
Suffolk 189.2
1992
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
Norfolk 188.4
Cambridgeshire 188.1
West Mercia 188.1
Derbyshire 182.8
1993
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 20,004.8
Metropolitan police 378.2
Merseyside 322.1
Greater Manchester 274.7
West Midlands 264.4
Cleveland 264.1
Northumbria 247.9
Cumbria 244.5
West Yorkshire 241.6
South Yorkshire 232.9
Humberside 231.6
Nottinghamshire 228.1
Durham 228.0
Lancashire 227.5
Wiltshire 221.2
Surrey 220.4
Bedfordshire 219.4
Avon and Somerset 214.1
Gloucestershire 213.0
Sussex 210.7
Warwickshire 208.5
Staffordshire 207.6
Kent 204.8
Northamptonshire 204.4
Lincolnshire 203.0
Hertfordshire 201.9
Leicestershire 201.8
Essex 198.9
Cheshire 197.5
Dorset 197.1
Thames Valley 194.6
Derbyshire 194.0
North Yorkshire 193.7
Devon and Cornwall 192.4
Hampshire 191.7
Suffolk 189.8
Norfolk 189.6
Cambridgeshire 189.2
West Mercia 187.2
1994
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 23,092.8
Metropolitan police 375.0
Merseyside 324.6
Greater Manchester 270.7
West Midlands 266.6
Cleveland 255.2
Northumbria 249.6
West Yorkshire 241.0
Cumbria 239.5
South Yorkshire 231.8
Humberside 231.3
Durham 227.8
Nottinghamshire 227.1
Lancashire 224.3
Wiltshire 218.2
Surrey 216.8
Bedfordshire 214.5
Gloucestershire 214.1
Warwickshire 212.6
1994
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
Avon and Somerset 210.5
Sussex 210.0
Staffordshire 209.9
Kent 204.5
Leicestershire 202.3
Lincolnshire 201.9
Hertfordshire 198.8
Northamptonshire 198.3
Essex 197.9
Cheshire 196.7
Thames Valley 196.3
Dorset 195.3
Derbyshire 192.1
Devon and Cornwall 191.7
Hampshire 190.9
Norfolk 189.7
West Mercia 186.6
Suffolk 186.4
Cambridgeshire 186.4
North Yorkshire 182.3
1995
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 22,559.3
Metropolitan police 370.4
Merseyside 323.3
Greater Manchester 272.9
West Midlands 266.5
Cleveland 257.0
Northumbria 249.5
West Yorkshire 240.3
Cumbria 238.1
South Yorkshire 232.7
Humberside 229.4
Lancashire 226.1
Nottinghamshire 225.5
Durham 222.7
Surrey 217.8
Wiltshire 216.3
Gloucestershire 213.8
Staffordshire 211.7
Bedfordshire 208.8
Avon and Somerset 207.3
Warwickshire 205.2
Sussex 203.6
Kent 202.4
Leicestershire 202.0
Hertfordshire 200.6
Lincolnshire 199.4
Cheshire 198.8
Essex 196.2
Northamptonshire 195.3
Dorset 193.0
Thames Valley 192.6
Hampshire 189.5
Derbyshire 189.0
Devon and Cornwall 188.5
Cambridgeshire 184.7
West Mercia 184.5
Suffolk 184.3
Norfolk 182.3
North Yorkshire 180.1
1996
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London(City of) 16,637.6
Metropolitan police 366.8
Merseyside 307.5
1996
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
West Midlands 271.9
Greater Manchester 269.1
Northumbria 254.4
Cleveland 253.6
West Yorkshire 244.4
South Yorkshire 235.4
Durham 230.5
Humberside 229.5
Cumbria 227.5
Nottinghamshire 224.8
Lancashire 222.7
Surrey 212.3
Sussex 212.2
Staffordshire 209.5
Leicestershire 208.1
Bedfordshire 207.6
Wiltshire 207.4
Gloucestershire 206.1
Cheshire 204.8
Avon and Somerset 204.7
Kent 201.8
Hertfordshire 200.7
Warwickshire 197.3
Northamptonshire 193.8
Hampshire 193.4
Essex 192.6
Devon and Cornwall 189.5
Lincolnshire 188.9
Dorset 187.9
Derbyshire 184.8
Norfolk 182.3
North Yorkshire 182.2
Thames Valley 182.1
West Mercia 180.6
Cambridgeshire 180.0
Suffolk 175.2
1997
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 16,514.9
Metropolitan police 355.9
Merseyside 296.4
West Midlands 269.7
Greater Manchester 268.5
Cleveland 261.0
Northumbria 255.6
West Yorkshire 247.4
South Yorkshire 242.3
Durham 240.3
Cumbria 233.2
Humberside 230.0
Lancashire 227.7
Nottinghamshire 225.1
Leicestershire 211.1
Sussex 211.0
Kent 210.2
Staffordshire 209.3
Cheshire 209.1
Surrey 208.9
Gloucestershire 204.9
Hertfordshire 204.9
Avon and Somerset 204.2
Bedfordshire 200.4
Hampshire 198.2
Essex 196.6
Northamptonshire 196.3
Lincolnshire 195.5
Wiltshire 195.4
Dorset 189.2
Cambridgeshire 187.6
1997
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
Derbyshire 186.9
Devon and Cornwall 185.8
Warwickshire 185.7
Norfolk 185.4
West Mercia 183.1
North Yorkshire 183.1
Thames Valley 180.5
Suffolk 179.6
1998
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 15,924.5
Metropolitan police 345.0
Merseyside 296.8
West Midlands 270.8
Greater Manchester 269.8
Cleveland 266.0
Northumbria 262.7
Durham 249.1
West Yorkshire 244.4
South Yorkshire 243.9
Cumbria 237.2
Lancashire 228.6
Humberside 227.9
Nottinghamshire 225.1
Staffordshire 217.1
Leicestershire 213.8
Kent 208.7
Cheshire 208.4
Surrey 207.1
Sussex 206.3
Avon and Somerset 202.8
Hertfordshire 201.5
Hampshire 199.1
Gloucestershire 198.4
Bedfordshire 196.5
Wiltshire 194.9
Essex 193.4
Lincolnshire 193.4
Northamptonshire 193.4
Dorset 192.1
Devon and Cornwall 192.0
North Yorkshire 186.1
Warwickshire 184.6
Derbyshire 184.2
Norfolk 184.0
Cambridgeshire 183.6
Thames Valley 182.8
West Mercia 179.8
Suffolk 179.2
1999
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
London (City of) 14,862.7
Metropolitan police 342.4
Merseyside 297.9
West Midlands 278.3
Northumbria 268.5
Greater Manchester 264.8
Durham 257.7
Cleveland 254.7
South Yorkshire 242.8
West Yorkshire 236.1
Cumbria 228.8
Lancashire 227.7
Humberside 223.2
Nottinghamshire 215.5
1999
Police force Officers per 100,000 population
Leicestershire 214.5
Surrey 211.9
Staffordshire 211.0
Cheshire 210.8
Kent 204.4
Avon and Somerset 202.9
Hertfordshire 197.8
Gloucestershire 197.4
Hampshire 197.1
Wiltshire 192.0
Sussex 191.4
Essex 189.8
Bedfordshire 188.5
Northamptonshire 186.4
Devon and Cornwall 186.1
Dorset 186.0
Lincolnshire 184.0
Derbyshire 182.2
North Yorkshire 181.2
Warwickshire 180.3
West Mercia 179.8
Thames Valley 179.7
Cambridgeshire 178.9
Suffolk 178.5
Norfolk 176.4

Notes:

1. Based on police officers at 31 March

2. City of London figures are based on resident population

Mr. Ashdown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in South Somerset in each year from 1995 to 1999; and if he will make a statement. [105095]

Mr. Boateng

I am informed by the Chief Constable that South Somerset falls within the East Somerset Territorial Division. The force is able to provide details of police strength for this Division only from 1997 following restructuring. These are set out as follows.

East Somerset Division
Police officer numbers
April 1997 230
April 1998 243
April 1999 241
January 2000 236