HC Deb 22 January 2001 vol 361 cc476-84W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers, (b) civilian staff and (c) special constables there were (i) in total and (ii) per head of population in each police force in England and Wales, in (1) September 1999, (2) March 2000 and (3) September 2000; and if he will make a statement. [145946]

Mr. Straw

[holding answer 18 January 2001]The requested details are given in the table.

Table 1: Police service strength as at 30 September 1999
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total civilians1 Total civilians per 100,000 population2 Total specials3 Total specials per 100,000 population2
Essex4 2,835 184.9 1,300 84.8 528 34.4
Gloucestershire 1,098 197.0 490 87.9 221 39.7
Greater Manchester 6,810 264.2 2,570 99.7 498 19.3
Hampshire 3,411 192.6 1,403 79.2 720 40.7
Hertfordshire4 1,760 200.4 821 93.5 232 26.4
Humberside 1,926 218.1 959 108.6 263 29.8
Kent 3,257 206.8 1,600 101.6 484 30.7
Lancashire 3,221 225.8 1,216 85.2 397 27.8
Leicestershire 1,998 215.1 776 83.6 303 32.6
Lincolnshire 1,111 178.3 506 81.2 218 35.0
London, City of5 745 5— 289 5— 66 5—
Merseyside 4,071 288.8 1,446 102.6 467 33.1
Metropolitan police4,5,6 25,884 346.3 10,935 146.0 1,173 16.1
Norfolk 1,382 174.8 660 83.5 317 40.1
Northamptonshire 1,130 183.5 601 97.5 210 34.1
Northumbria 3,800 266.6 1,482 103.9 356 25.0
North Yorkshire 1,294 174.3 527 71.0 245 33.0
Nottinghamshire 2,227 215.9 1,027 99.6 405 39.3
South Yorkshire 3,165 242.7 1,261 96.7 236 18.1
Staffordshire 2,206 207.9 901 84.9 460 43.3
Suffolk 1,160 172.9 593 88.4 420 62.6
Surrey4 1,721 218.8 697 88.6 205 26.1
Sussex 2,909 194.1 1,275 85.0 377 25.1
Thames Valley 3,750 178.7 1,804 85.9 514 24.5
Warwickshire 916 180.7 393 77.6 260 51.3
West Mercia 1,979 174.2 964 84.8 512 45.1
West Midlands 7,296 277.6 2,876 109.4 697 26.5
West Yorkshire 4,873 230.6 2,252 106.5 572 27.1
Wiltshire 1,150 189.9 558 92.2 182 30.1
Dyfed-Powys 1,049 218.7 406 84.7 237 49.4
Gwent 1,261 226.4 492 88.4 110 19.7
North Wales 1,399 212.8 514 78.2 262 39.9
South Wales 2,983 240.7 1,172 94.6 331 26.7
Total police service7 125,394 239.2 53,254 101.6 15,725 30.0

Table 2: Police service strength as at 31 March 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total civilians1 Total civilians per 100,000 population2 Total specials3 Total specials per 100,000 population2
Avon and Somerset 2,934 197.1 1,436 96.4 459 30.8
Bedfordshire 1,028 184.7 490 88.0 151 27.1
Cambridgeshire 1,237 171.8 503 69.9 274 38.1
Cheshire 2,011 204.3 823 83.6 350 35.6
Cleveland 1,404 252.3 595 107.0 128 23.0
Cumbria 1,084 219.9 469 95.2 176 35.7
Derbyshire 1,777 183.2 826 85.1 282 29.1
Devon and Cornwall 2,841 182.3 1,343 86.1 870 55.8
Dorset 1,306 188.9 686 99.3 298 43.1
Durham 1,558 256.3 590 97.1 157 25.8
Essex4 2,806 183.0 1,348 87.9 483 31.5
Gloucestershire 1,114 199.9 484 86.9 206 37.0
Greater Manchester 6,795 263.6 2,822 109.5 457 17.7
Hampshire 3,419 193.1 1,443 81.5 615 34.7
Hertfordshire4 1,767 201.1 890 101.3 216 24.6
Humberside 1,932 218.8 840 95.2 246 27.9
Kent 3,204 203.5 1,647 104.6 436 27.7
Lancashire 3,179 222.8 1,422 99.6 382 26.8
Leicestershire 1,993 214.6 805 86.6 247 26.6
Lincolnshire 1,115 178.9 516 82.8 195 31.3
London, City of5 732 5— 285 5— 56 5—
Merseyside 4,085 289.8 1,458 103.5 476 33.8
Metropolitan police4,5,6 25,485 341.0 10,605 141.6 758 10.6
Norfolk 1,381 174.8 655 82.9 285 36.1
Northamptonshire 1,117 181.4 599 97.3 199 32.3
Northumbria 3,788 265.7 1,417 99.4 332 23.3
North Yorkshire 1,283 172.9 492 66.3 217 29.2
Nottinghamshire 2,204 213.7 1,024 99.3 411 39.8
South Yorkshire 3,163 242.5 1,391 106.6 205 15.7

Table 2: Police service strength as at 31 March 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total civilians1 Total civilians per 100,000 population2 Total specials3 Total specials per 100,000 population2
Staffordshire 2,170 204.4 858 80 8 482 45.4
Suffolk 1,145 170.7 600 89.3 391 58.3
Surrey4 1,785 226.9 762 96.8 175 22.2
Sussex 2,822 188.3 1,328 88.6 352 23.5
Thames Valley 3,740 178.2 1,786 85.1 472 22.5
Warwickshire 900 177.5 394 77.8 260 51.3
West Mercia 1,887 166.0 1,043 91.8 476 41.9
West Midlands 7,194 273.7 2,695 102.6 680 25.9
West Yorkshire 4,822 228.2 2,199 104.0 484 22.9
Wiltshire 1,118 184.6 563 93.0 173 28.6
Dyfed-Powys 1,040 216.9 359 74.9 202 42.1
Gwent 1,264 226.8 498 89.3 119 21.4
North Wales 1,403 213.4 519 78.9 247 37.6
South Wales 2,926 236.1 1,081 87.2 267 21.5
Total police service7 124,170 236.8 53,227 102 14,347 27.4
1 Full-time equivalents.
2 Office for National Statistics mid-year 1998 estimates.
3 Actual number.
4 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan police district included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the county forces, to compensate for the additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01. In tables 1 and 2 population estimates are based on the size of the police force areas, table 3 is based on the size of the county.
5 Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan police are combined.
6 Most of the change in number of special constables in the Metropolitan police between September 1999 and March 2000 is due to an update of the personnel records which removed constables who were no longer serving in the force.
7 Total includes secondments to central services, inter-force units, NCS and NCIS.

Table 3: Police service strength as at 30 September 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total civilians1 Total civilians per 100,000 population2 Total specials3 Total specials per 100,000 population2
Avon and Somerset 2,941 195.9 1,437 95.8 416 27.7
Bedfordshire 1,006 179.0 493 87.7 134 23.8
Cambridgeshire 1,266 174.7 543 74.8 214 29.5
Cheshire 2,000 203.6 870 88.5 307 31.2
Cleveland 1,421 255.6 598 107.5 122 21.9
Cumbria 1,048 213.0 505 102.6 167 34.0
Derbyshire 1,780 182.8 865 88.8 286 29.4
Devon and Cornwall 2,873 183.0 1,391 88.6 836 53.3
Dorset 1,299 187.6 681 98.3 278 40.1
Durham 1,581 260.6 573 94.5 155 25.5
Essex4 2,780 171.8 1,472 91.0 478 29.5
Gloucestershire 1,142 203.3 498 88.6 197 35.1
Greater Manchester 6,767 262.6 2,845 110.4 408 15.8
Hampshire 3,435 192.9 1,462 82.1 541 30.4
Hertfordshire4 1,961 188.0 948 90.9 214 20.5
Humberside 1,905 216.1 783 88.8 198 22.5
Kent 3,239 204.1 1,670 105.2 416 26.2
Lancashire 3,215 225.5 1,351 94.7 362 25.4
Leicestershire 2,010 215.0 808 86.4 202 21.6
Lincolnshire 1,162 184.8 554 88.1 179 28.5
London, City of5 720 5— 235 5— 46 1—
Merseyside 4,081 290.7 1,437 102.4 452 32.2
Metropolitan police4, 5, 6 24,695 348.9 10,147 142.5 754 11.0
Norfolk 1,387 174.1 651 81.7 270 33.9
Northamptonshire 1,166 187.7 3825 132.8 195 31.4
Northumbria 3,885 273.8 1,413 99.6 323 22.8
North Yorkshire 1,293 173.0 533 71.3 189 25.3
Nottinghamshire 2,232 216.1 987 95.6 411 39.8
South Yorkshire 3,184 244.5 1,399 107.4 193 14.8
Staffordshire 2,157 203.4 897 84.6 461 43.5
Suffolk 1,115 165.2 592 87.8 376 55.7
Surrey4 2,113 196.0 865 80.2 168 15.6
Sussex 2,812 185.6 1,405 92.8 317 20.9
Thames Valley 3,748 177.1 1,890 89.3 463 21.9
Warwickshire 912 179.5 388 76.4 260 51.2
West Mercia 1,906 167.1 1,026 90.0 443 38.8
West Midlands 7,350 279.8 2,821 107.4 662 25.2

Table 3: Police service strength as at 30 September 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total civilians1 Total civilians per 100,000 population2 Total specials3 Total specials per 100,000 population2
West Yorkshire 4,806 227.2 2,208 104.4 452 21.4
Wiltshire 1,099 180.1 574 94.1 172 28.2
Dyfed-Powys 1,045 217.4 393 81.7 193 40.2
Gwent 1,271 228.3 490 88.0 131 23.5
North Wales 1,393 211.8 511 77.7 233 35.4
South Wales 3,029 243.9 1,293 104.1 254 20.5
Total police service7 124,614 236.5 54,032 103 13,528 25.7
1 Full-time equivalents.
2 Office for National Statistics mid-year 1999 estimates.
3 Actual number.
4 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan police district included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the county forces. To compensate for this additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01. In tables 1 and 2 population estimates are based on the size of the police force areas, table 3 is based on the size of the county.
5 Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan police are combined.
6 Most of the change in number of special constables in the Metropolitan police between September 1999 and March 2000 is due to an update of the personnel records which removed constables who were no longer serving in the force.
7 Total includes secondments to central services, inter-force units, NCS and NCIS.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) total wastage and (b) actual wastage in police numbers took place on a monthly basis in 2000 in respect of each police force. [145102]

Mr. Charles Clarke

[holding answer 15 January 2001]: The data requested are not available centrally on a monthly basis; six monthly information is contained in Home Office Statistical Bulletins 15/00 and 2/01.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) full-time equivalents and (b) officers available for duty there were in each police force area in (a) March 1997 and (b) September 2000; and if he will make a statement. [144967]

Mr. Charles Clarke

[holding answer 15 January 2001]: The requested details are given in the table. It is not possible from the available statistics to separate figures for officers available for duty. Officers may be moved between operational and operational support duties without notice.

Police service strength as at 30 September 2000 and March 1997
Police force 1,2Total police officers September 2000 1Total police officers March 1997
Avon and Somerset 2,941 2,989
Bedfordshire 1,006 1,094
Cambridgeshire 1,266 1,302
Cheshire 2,000 2,046
Cleveland 1,421 1,459
Cumbria 1,048 1,144
Derbyshire 1,780 1,791
Devon and Cornwall 2,873 2,865
Dorset 1,299 1,284
Durham 1,581 1,461
Essex2 2,780 2,961
Gloucestershire 1,142 1,133
Greater Manchester 6,767 6,922
Hampshire 3,435 3,452
Hertfordshire2 1,961 1,759
Humberside 1,905 2,045
Kent 3,239 3,260
Lancashire 3,215 3,247
Leicestershire 2,010 1,949
Lincolnshire 1,162 1,196

Police service strength as at 30 September 2000 and March 1997
Police force 1, 2Total police officers September 2000 1Total police officers March 1997
London, City of 720 859
Merseyside 4,081 4,230
Metropolitan police2 24,695 26,677
Norfolk 1,387 1,432
Northamptonshire 1,166 1,177
Northumbria 3,885 3,677
North Yorkshire 1,293 1,338
Nottinghamshire 2,232 2,323
South Yorkshire 3,184 3,159
Staffordshire 2,157 2,211
Suffolk 1,115 1,180
Surrey2 2,113 1,620
Sussex 2,812 3,085
Thames Valley 3,748 3,695
Warwickshire 912 926
West Mercia 1,906 2,040
West Midlands 7,350 7,113
West Yorkshire 4,806 5,209
Wiltshire 1,099 1,154
Dyfed-Powys 1,045 1,005
Gwent 1,271 1,243
North Wales 1,393 1,369
South Wales 3,029 2,976
Total police service3 124,614 125,051
1 Full-time equivalents.
2 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan Police District included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the country forces. To compensate for the additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan Police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01.
3 Includes secondments to central services, inter-force units, NCS and NCIS.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total number of(a) police officers and (b) special constables was and what the number of police officers per head of population was per police force and in total in (i) September 2000 and (ii) March 2000. [145709]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The information requested is given in the tables.

Table 1: Police service strength as at 31 March 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total specials3
Avon and Somerset 2,934 197.1 459
Bedfordshire 1,028 184.7 151
Cambridgeshire 1,237 171.8 274
Cheshire 2,011 204.3 350
Cleveland 1,404 252.3 128
Cumbria 1,084 219.9 176
Derbyshire 1,777 183.2 282
Devon and Cornwall 2,841 182.3 870
Dorset 1,306 188.9 298
Durham 1,558 256.3 157
Essex4 2,806 183.0 483
Gloucestershire 1,114 199.9 206
Greater Manchester 6,795 263.6 457
Hampshire 3,419 193.1 615
Hertfordshire4 1,767 201.1 216
Humberside 1,932 218.8 246
Kent 3,204 203.5 436
Lancashire 3,179 222.8 382
Leicestershire 1,993 214.6 247
Lincolnshire 1,115 178.9 195
London, City of5 732 — 56
Merseyside 4,085 289.8 476
Metropolitan police4, 5, 6 25,485 341.0 758
Norfolk 1,381 174.8 285
Northamptonshire 1,117 181.4 199
Northumbria 3,788 265.7 332
North Yorkshire 1,283 172.9 217
Nottinghamshire 2,204 213.7 411
South Yorkshire 3,163 242.5 205
Staffordshire 2,170 204.4 482
Suffolk 1,145 170.7 391
Surrey4 1,785 226.9 175
Sussex 2,822 188.3 352
Thames Valley 3,740 178.2 472
Warwickshire 900 177.5 260
West Mercia 1,887 166.0 476
West Midlands 7,194 273.7 680
West Yorkshire 4,822 228.2 484
Wiltshire 1,118 184.6 173
Dyfed-Powys 1,040 216.9 202
Gwent 1,264 226.8 119
North Wales 1,403 213.4 247
South Wales 2,926 236.1 267
Total police service2 124,170 236.8 14,347
1 Full-time equivalents
2 Office for National Statistics mid-year 1998 estimates
3 Actual number
4 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan police district included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the county forces. To compensate for the additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01. In table 1 population estimates are based on the size of the police force areas. Table 2 is based on the size of the county.
5 Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan police are combined.
6 Most of the change in number of special constables in the Metropolitan police between September 1999 and March 2000 is due to an update of the personnel records which removed constables who were no longer serving in the force.
7 Total includes secondments to central services, inter-force units, NCS and NCIS.

Table 2: Police service strength as at 30 September 2000
Police force Total police officers1 Total officers per 100,000 population2 Total specials3
Avon and Somerset 2,941 195.9 416
Bedfordshire 1,006 179.0 134
Cambridgeshire 1,266 174.7 214
Cheshire 2,000 203.6 307
Cleveland 1,421 255.6 122
Cumbria 1,048 213.0 167
Derbyshire 1,780 182.8 286
Devon and Cornwall 2,873 183.0 836
Dorset 1,299 187.6 278
Durham 1,581 260.6 155
Essex4 2,780 171.8 478
Gloucestershire 1,142 203.3 197
Greater Manchester 6,767 262.6 408
Hampshire 3,435 192.9 541
Hertfordshire4 1,961 188.0 214
Humberside 1,905 216.1 198
Kent 3,239 204.1 416
Lancashire 3,215 225.5 362
Leicestershire 2,010 215.0 202
Lincolnshire 1,162 184.8 179
London, City of5 720 — 46
Merseyside 4,081 290.7 452
Metropolitan police4,5,6 24,695 348.9 754
Norfolk 1,387 174.1 270
Northamptonshire 1,166 187.7 195
Northumbria 3,885 273.8 323
North Yorkshire 1,293 173.0 189
Nottinghamshire 2,232 216.1 411
South Yorkshire 3,184 244.5 193
Staffordshire 2,157 203.4 461
Suffolk 1,115 165.2 376
Surrey4 2,113 196.0 168
Sussex 2,812 185.6 317
Thames Valley 3,748 177.1 463
Warwickshire 912 179.5 260
West Mercia 1,906 167.1 443
West Midlands 7,350 279.8 662
West Yorkshire 4,806 227.2 452
Wiltshire 1,099 180.1 172
Dyfed-Powys 1,045 217.4 193
Gwent 1,271 228.3 131
North Wales 1,393 211.8 233
South Wales 3,029 243.9 254
Total police service7 124,614 236.5 13,528
1 Full-time equivalents
2 Office for National Statistics mid-year 1998 estimates
3 Actual number
4 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan police district included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the county forces. To compensate for the additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01. In table 1 population estimates are based on the size of the police force areas, table 2 is based on the size of the county.
5 Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan police are combined.
6 Most of the change in number of special constables in the Metropolitan police between September 1999 and March 2000 is due to an update of the personnel records which removed constables who were no longer serving in the force.
7 Total includes secondments to central services, inter-force units, NCS and NCIS.