§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police there(a) were on 1 January and (b) will be on 1 January 2003 in (i) England and Wales and (ii) North Yorkshire. [34010]
§ Mr. DenhamPolice numbers are collected twice a year in March and September. There were 127,231 officers in England and Wales on 30 September 2001. The Home Secretary has set a target for overall police strength in England and Wales to reach 130,000 by the spring of 2003.
North Yorkshire police had 1,390 officers on 30 September 2001. I understand from the chief constable that on 1 January the force had 1,391 officers and that the projected strength for North Yorkshire police for March 2003 is 1,425 officers.
§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in post in Leicestershire Police Authority in(a) each year between 1996–97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [34762]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information requested is set out in the table.
623W
Year1 Police officers Civilian support staff 1996 1,908 667 1997 1,949 755 1998 1,983 774 1999 1,993 802 2000 1,993 805 2001 2,033 806 1As at 31 March Leicestershire Constabulary had a record number of officers at the end of September 2001, at 2,062.