§ 30. Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on police numbers in the south-east. [5171]
§ Mr. DenhamI have received a number of representations from forces in the area covered by the Government offices for the south-east and London since April 2001.
There have been six representations by means of parliamentary questions and an Adjournment debate. There have also been written representations from hon. Members about police numbers in Sussex and Thames Valley. I have had representations from the City of London police about its resources.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary meets regularly with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Mayor of London at which a range of issues are discussed, including police numbers.
There have been two representations about police numbers in the Essex police.
Police numbers in the Government regions for the south-east and London and the Essex police as at 31 March 2001 are set in the table.
69W
Force Police numbers Increase over March 2000 Civilian support staff numbers Change over 31 March 2000 City of London 703 -29 233 -52 Metropolitan police1 24,878 -607 10,040 -565 Hampshire 3,435 +16 1,482 +39 Kent 3,319 +115 1,796 + 149 Surrey1 2,066 +281 897 + 135 Sussex 2,855 +33 1,454 + 127 Thames Valley 3,703 -37 1,891 +105 Essex1 2,887 +81 1,447 +99 1Most of the reduction in policy numbers in the Metropolitan police is due to the boundary changes on 1 April with Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. These changes will therefore have contributed to the increase in police numbers in Essex and Surrey for 2000—01.