§ 25. Mr. David HeathTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a review of police strength in each police authority area in England and Wales prior to the Government's second comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement. [126144]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeI have no plans to undertake such a review. Under the Police Act 1996, it is for individual chief constables to determine the number of police officers in their force from within their available resources.
I work closely with the police and their representative bodies on a number of issues about resourcing and crime reduction, including their concerns about police numbers. I have responded to those concerns with the Crime Fighting Fund, which will allow for the recruitment of 5,000 more officers over the next two years, over and above those that forces already planned to recruit. The future resourcing of the police service is, of course, a matter for Spending Review 2000, and I have taken careful account of the views of the police service on their needs.