§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were within the City of London and Metropolitan Police force areas, broken down by London borough(a) at the most recent time for which figures are available, (b) in May 1997 based on the old boundaries and (c) in May 1997 based on the new boundaries. [87095]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 16 December 2002]: Information on the number of Metropolitan Police officers in each London Borough for May 1997 is not available. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided data, set out in the table, on divisional strength on 31 December 1997 and 31 March 2002. The current London borough divisional structure did not exist in 1997. The figures in the table are those for the previous smaller divisions aggregated into their new borough divisions.
The effects of the boundary changes on 1 April 2000 were incorporated into the police funding formula in 2000–01 and the overall transfer was in terms of financial resources, not of officers.
I am advised by the Commissioner that around 470 MPS officers were seconded to the three boundary change forces on 1 April 2000 to give them time to recruit their own officers to police the former MPS areas now in these counties. These officers returned to the MPS over the next two years. There are now no MPS officers on secondment to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey as a result of the boundary changes of 1 April 2000.
As it is for police authorities and chief officers of police to decide how resources are utilised, it is not possible to show what the strength for each London borough would have been in 1997 had the current territorial division structure been in place. Divisional strength in 1997 would have reflected operational priorities at the time. A sensible comparison between 1997 and 2002 cannot be made.
Information about police strength in the City of London Police's two territorial divisions has been provided by the Commissioner of the City of London Police (Mr. James Hart QPM). He is unable to provide information about divisional police strength in 1997. The City of London Police was unaffected by the boundary changes on 1 April 2000.
Police officers in the territorial divisions of both forces are, of course, supported by police officers in other operational roles, such as traffic, Serious Crime Group, Police Support Units and dogs and mounted sections. There are other officers in specialist squads such as fraud investigation and anti-terrorism duties.
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City of London Police and Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police London Borough Divisions Number of police officers 31 December 1997 Number of police officers 31 March 2002 City of Westminster 1,697 1,544 Kensington and Chelsea 609 541.2 Hammersmith and Fulham 542 515.1 Camden 697 701.0 Islington 549 564.1 Harrow 289 288.9 Brent 613 584.5 Barnet 706 515.5
City of London Police and Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police London Borough Divisions Number of police officers 31 December 1997 Number of police officers 31 March 2002 Ealing 627 638.2 Hillingdon 398 410.2 Haringey 527 560.0 Hackney 677 674.4 Tower Hamlets 568 559.4 Waltham Forest 464 468.1 Redbridge 497 398.6 Havering 334 319.4 Newham 590 608.4 Barking and Dagenham 300 298.6 Enfield 550 491.0 Southwark 861 805.3 Lewisham 610 598.6 Bromley 464 431.7 Greenwich 612 574.2 Bexley 282 320.8 Croydon 601 591.0 Sutton 405 257.0 Lambeth 917 874.1 Richmond upon Thames 283 277.0 Hounslow 457 436.3 Kingston upon Thames 367 266.9 Merton 293 283.7 Wandsworth 596 562.2 Total 17,982 16,932.2 Heathrow Airport1 362 302.6 Divisional strength 18,344 17,234.8 Total force strength 226,677 226,223 1 These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc. 2 Total force strength is taken from data collected from the forces by Home Office Research, Development and Statistical Group Note:
Figures are full-time equivalents.
City of London Police Territorial Divisions Divisional Strength Divisional Strength Snow Hill Not available 207.3 Bishopsgate Not available 194.9 Total force strength 1859 1764 1 Total force strength is taken from data collected from the forces by Home Office Research, Development and Statistical Group.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the change in police(a) pay and (b) pension costs to be met by police authorities between 2002–03 and 2003–04. [87360]
§ Mr. DenhamIt is for each police authority to estimate its projected changes in pay and pensions costs each year.
§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the whole-time equivalent police officer establishment was for(a) 1992, (b) 1997, (c) 2000 and (d) 2002, in each London borough, giving the percentage and actual variations in each case [85829]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information has been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The Metropolitan police is unable to provide establishments for each London borough in 1992, 1997 and 2000 as the current London borough divisional arrangement was only introduced after the boundary changes of 1 April 2000 with Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. The figures shown are therefore the aggregate strength of the old divisions that now fall within the new London borough Divisions for 31 December in each of those years.
The effects of the Metropolitan police boundary changes on 1 April 2000 were incorporated into the police funding formula and the overall transfer between 992W the forces was in terms of financial resources, not of officers. It is for police authorities and Chief Constables to decide how resources are utilised.
I am advised by the Commissioner that around 470 MPS officers were seconded to the three boundary change forces on 1 April 2000 to give them time to recruit their own officers to police the former MPS areas now in these counties. These officers returned to the MPS over the next two years. There are now no MPS officers on secondment to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey as a result of the boundary changes of 1 April 2000.
Since 2001 each London borough has been provided with a Budgeted Strength (establishment), which is set by the Commissioner at the start of the financial year, and which the division aims to achieve by the end of the financial year. These borough establishments can be subject to change in the light of changes in circumstances.
The total strength of the Metropolitan police at 31 March 2002 was 26,223 officers, 1,345 more than in March 2001. At the same date the Metropolitan police employed 10,459 civilian support staff, 419 more than in March 2001.
Metropolitan police: actual strength—31 December 1992,31 December 1997 and 31 December 2000 Number of police officers as at 31 December London borough division 1992 1997 2000 City of Westminster 1,906 1,697 1,580 Kensington and Chelsea 632 609 557 Hammersmith and Fulham 541 542 517 Camden 722 697 671 Islington 547 549 554 Harrow 272 289 295 Brent 624 613 606 Barnet 759 706 517 Ealing 620 627 611 Hillingdon 454 398 376 Haringey 562 527 533 Hackney 611 677 673 Tower Hamlets 669 568 548 Waltham Forest 462 464 453 Redbridge 520 497 390 Havering 366 334 320 Newham 570 590 583 Barking and Dagenham 286 300 278 Enfield 532 550 478 Southwark 817 861 801 Lewisham 594 610 584 Bromley 473 464 440 Greenwich 545 612 586 Bexley 277 282 310 Croydon 598 601 549 Sutton 374 405 254 Lambeth 980 917 875 Richmond upon Thames 298 283 260 Hounslow 641 457 411 Kingston upon Thames 375 367 256 Merton 291 293 290 Wandsworth 672 596 555 Total 18,589 17,982 16,712 Heathrow Airport1 442 362 304 Divisional total 19,031 18,344 17,016 1 These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc. Note:
Figures are full-time equivalents.
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Metropolitan police: budgeted work force total and actual strength—31 March 2002 Variation and percentage London borough division Police budgeted strength1 Actual police numbers at 31 March 20021 Difference Percentage City of Westminster 1,642 1,544.0 -98.0 -5.97 Kensington and Chelsea 577 541.2 -35.8 -6.21 Hammersmith and Fulham 539 515.1 -23.9 -4.43 Camden 699 701.0 +2.0 +0.3 Islington 584 564.1 -19.9 -3.41 Harrow 311 288.9 -22.1 -7.12 Brent 637 584.5 -52.5 -8.24 Barnet 542 515.5 -26.5 -4.89 Ealing 656 638.2 -17.8 -2.71 Hillingdon 395 410.2 +15.2 +3.84 Haringey 562 560.0 -2.0 -0.35 Hackney 708 647.4 -60.6 -8.56 Tower Hamlets 578 559.4 -18.6 -3.22 Waltham Forest 474 468.1 -5.9 -1.24 Redbridge 414 398.6 -15.4 -3.73 Havering 334 319.4 -14.6 -4.37 Newham 616 608.4 -7.6 -1.24 Barking and Dagenham 294 298.6 +4.6 +1.57 Enfield 515 491.0 -24.0 -4.65 Southwark 839 805.3 -33.7 -4.02 Lewisham 612 598.6 -13.4 -2.19 Bromley 458 431.7 -26.3 -5.75 Greenwich 613 574.2 -38.8 -6.33 Bexley 328 320.8 -7.2 -2.18 Croydon 595 591.0 -4.0 -0.68 Sutton 270 257.0 -13 -4.82 Lambeth 923 874.1 -48.9 -5.29 Richmond upon Thames 274 277.0 +3 +1.09 Hounslow 435 436.3 +1.3 +0.29 Kingston upon Thames 272 266.9 -5.1 -1.87 Merton 303 283.7 -19.3 -6.38 Wandsworth 586 562.2 -23.8 -4.06 Total 17,585 16,932.2 -652.8 -3.71 Heathrow Airport2 301 302.6 +1.6 +0.53 Divisional total 17,886 17,234.8 -651.2 -3.64 1 Figures are full-time equivalents. 2 These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.