HC Deb 10 March 2000 vol 345 cc860-1W
Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ethnic minority police officers there were in each year since 1980(a) nationally and (b) in each police force. [113931]

Mr. Charles Clarke

It is not possible to provide information on the number of ethnic minority officers before 1990. Figures for 1990 can be provided only on an aggregate basis, and on a force basis only at disproportionate cost.

The tables set out the number of ethnic officers in total, including officers who are seconded to the National Crime Squad (NCS), the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and central services and show the number of ethnic minority officers by force for each year since March 1991.

Table 1: Police strength in England and Wales ethnic minority strengh
Ethnic minority strength
March 1990 1,329
March 1991 1,480
March 1992 1,645
March 1993 1,794
March 1994 1,966
March 1995 2,128
March 1996 2,277
March 1997 2,337
March 1998 2,483
March 1999 2,545
September 1999 2,607

Note:

After 1998, ethnic minority officers on secondment to NCS and NCIS are included in table 1, but are not included in force figures at table 2.

Table 2: Police strength in England and Wales and Wales 1991–99—ethnic minority police numbers
Police force 31 March 1991 31 March 1992 31 March 1993 31 March 1994 31 March 1995 31 March 1996 31 March 1997 31 March 1998 31 March 1999 30 March 1999
North Yorkshire 2 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 4 5
Northamptonshire 18 19 21 22 22 25 30 31 32 34
Northumbria 12 13 17 20 22 24 26 33 32 31
Nottinghamshire 51 51 57 56 59 61 61 61 60 62
South Wales 18 21 22 25 25 25 25 29 32 33
South Yorkshire 20 28 31 45 59 68 69 70 68 70
Staffordshire 18 19 25 29 28 27 27 33 32 33
Suffolk 6 6 7 8 9 8 12 13 15 14
Surrey 9 15 17 20 20 20 20 20 21 21
Sussex 10 16 15 19 16 21 22 23 23 22
Thames Valley 51 57 61 63 68 69 73 78 81 80
Warwickshire 9 9 15 19 20 20 20 23 22 18
West Mercia 17 18 22 23 24 25 26 26 25 24
West Midlands 176 192 207 232 260 279 283 294 313 318
West Yorkshire 89 89 96 102 103 115 130 133 131 128
Wiltshire 10 13 12 12 12 11 13 10 10 11
Total all forces 1,480 1,645 1,794 1,966 2,128 2,277 2,337 2,483 2,520 2,567