§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the head of the Recruitment Task Force of the Metropolitan police about his policy on recruiting people previously rejected as below standard. [136477]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeI can confirm that no Home Office Minister or official has had any discussions with the Head of the Metropolitan Police Recruitment Task Force.
393WI understand however that the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) Recruitment Task Force has conducted a full review of the minimum standards applied to recruitment with the intention of bringing MPS standards into line with other police forces in the United Kingdom. This has resulted in significant changes being made to align standards to make them more focused to the current needs of the Service and address issues of equal opportunities.
The MPS's guidelines on age, qualifications, convictions, debts, tattoos and employment history requirements have been amended. As a result, applications made during the previous 12 months have been revisited and a number of applicants previously rejected have been invited to resume their applications to join the MPS as a constable.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the(a) establishment and (b) actual available officer numbers for each Metropolitan police divisional force for the last year period for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement. [134990]
§ Mr. Charles Clarke[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information requested has been provided by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service. Each division of the Metropolitan police has a Police Budgeted Workforce Total which is set at 1 April. The divisional strength figures are those for 31 October 2000. Actual divisional strength fluctuates because of wastage and recruitment variations.
At the end of October 2000, the Metropolitan police had 25,267 police officers. Those not assigned to Divisions, of which there are 8,855, are on other duties, such as specialist squads, traffic division and other centralised operational support and organisational support functions. Many of these officers will in their other functions be available to enhance the policing of divisions.
394W
Metropolitan police: Budgeted workforce total and actual strength Division Police budgeted workforce total1 Actual police numbers at 31 October 20001 City of Westminster 1,580 1,519.4 Kensington and Chelsea 557 522.5 Hammersmith and Fulham 517 490.7 Camden 671 646 Islington 554 528.9 Harrow 295 283.5 Brent 602 584.2 Barnet 517 483.3 Ealing 611 593.3 Hillingdon 376 356.5 Haringey 533 529.2 Hackney 673 644.7 Tower Hamlets 548.5 524.3 Waltham Forest 453 431.6 Redbridge 390 381.3 Havering 320.2 295.6 Newham 582.6 566.7 Barking and Dagenham 278.5 257.8 Enfield 478 450.6 Southwark 801 769.7 Lewisham 584 571.2 Bromley 440 415.8 Greenwich 586 568.2 Bexley 310 301.4 Croydon 549 560.7
Metropolitan police: Budgeted workforce total and actual strength Division Police budgeted workforce total1 Actual police numbers at 31 October 20001 Sutton 254 267.6 Lambeth 875 849.2 Richmond upon Thames 260 254.7 Hounslow 411 400.5 Kingston upon Thames 257 247.5 Merton 290 275.5 Wandsworth 555.3 541.6 Total 16,709.1 16,113.7 Heathrow Airport2 304 298.3 Divisional Total 17,013.1 16,412 1 Figures are full-time equivalents 2 These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.