§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were recruited by each police force in England and Wales, and how many left, between 30 September 1999 and 31 December 1999. [122298]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThese figures are collected from police forces on a half-yearly basis as at 30 September and 31 March each financial year. The latest period for which figures are available is 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in each police force area in England and Wales who were recruited and who left during that period were:
Force Recruited Left Avon and Somerset 14 79 Bedfordshire 11 17 Cambridgeshire 29 31 Cheshire 8 29 City of London 8 6 Cleveland 9 18 Cumbria 11 22 Derbyshire 15 29 Devon and Cornwall 75 60 Dorset 15 16 Durham 24 15 Dyfed-Powys 6 19 Essex 38 43 Gloucestershire 6 9 Greater Manchester 53 78 Gwent 6 9 Hampshire 73 113 Hertfordshire 21 21 Humberside 14 15 Kent 54 96 Lancashire 20 38 Leicestershire 18 31 Lincolnshire 14 8 Merseyside 41 3 Metropolitan Police 11 39 Norfolk 23 43 Northamptonshire 13 28 Northumbria 27 37 North Wales 10 67 North Yorkshire 22 33 Nottinghamshire 13 21 South Wales 12 21 South Yorkshire 20 34 Staffordshire 20 21 Suffolk 53 53 Surrey 8 26 Sussex 19 51 Thames Valley 35 63 Warwickshire 15 38 West Mercia 46 24 West Midlands 55 53 West Yorkshire 93 80 Wiltshire 11 13 Total 1,059 1,555 1A number of successful applicants were awaiting a training course towards the end of 1999 and were not counted as recruited until the course commenced. 2Due to boundary restructuring applications during the relevant period were not processed until the end of 1999. The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.
We are addressing the decline in numbers. In March we funded a two-week national radio and press recruitment campaign at a cost of £700,000. We have commissioned 58W some research into what attracts people to the Special Constabulary to help inform the next phase of recruitment activity. The findings are due shortly. In addition, in the next few months we will be providing better sick pay arrangements for injury on duty and improving expenses and allowances. We will also be introducing a scheme to give special constables access to free legal advice and representation if subject to criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in each police force in England and Wales on 31 December 1999. [122301]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe latest date for which figures are available is 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in post in each police force area in England and Wales on that date was:
Special constables in post on 30 September 1999 Force Number Avon and Somerset 482 Bedfordshire 148 Cambridgeshire 293 Cheshire 358 City of London 66 Cleveland 108 Cumbria 193 Derbyshire 303 Devon and Cornwall 908 Dorset 287 Durham 169 Dyfed-Powys 237 Essex 528 Gloucestershire 221 Greater Manchester 498 Gwent 110 Hampshire 720 Hertfordshire 232 Humberside 263 Kent 484 Lancashire 397 Leicestershire 303 Lincolnshire 218 Merseyside 467 Metropolitan Police 1,173 Norfolk 317 Northamptonshire 210 Northumbria 356 North Wales 262 North Yorkshire 245 Nottinghamshire 405 South Wales 331 South Yorkshire 236 Staffordshire 460 Suffolk 420 Surrey 205 Sussex 377 Thames Valley 514 Warwickshire 260 West Mercia 512 West Midlands 697 West Yorkshire 572 Wiltshire 182 Total 15,727 The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.