§ 18. Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to increase the total number of police officers in England and Wales over the next three years. [103979]
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§ Mr. StrawUnder the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, chief officers of police determine staffing requirements within the overall resources available to them.
Over this and the next two years, we have increased the resources available from central Government by £1.24 billion. In addition, the Crime Fighting Fund will be used to recruit 5,000 new police officers over and above the number which forces would otherwise have recruited over the next three years commencing in April 2000. £35 million will be allocated in the first year of the fund to kick start the scheme. Additional money will be provided in years two and three.