HC Deb 03 July 2002 vol 388 cc434-6W
Mr. John Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police officers in each ethnic group resigned from the West Midlands police force in each of the last two years. [45328]

Mr. Denham

I am sorry not to have provided an earlier answer. The information in the table has been provided by the chief constable of the West Midlands police (Sir Edward Crew QPM). The force has apologised for the delay in supplying it.

The information provided covers the last two full years for which it is available (1999–2000 and 2000–01). The table shows the number of officers from each ethnic group who resigned, the number of resignations as a proportion of the total number of officers in that ethnic group and the proportion of total resignations by ethnic group.

Mr. Denham

Crime in England and Wales fell by 21 per cent. between 1997 and 2000 (British Crime Survey 2001). Total recorded crime in Wales fell 16.5 per cent. between 1996–97 and 2000–01, taking account of changes in counting rules. Recorded crime in Wales since 1996–97 is set out in the table.

Police force area Number of recorded crimesy Percentage change from previous year
1996–97
Dyfed-Powys 19,282 –4.6
Gwent 38,296 14.8
North Wales 41,691 –1.8
South Wales 151,371 –0.8
1997–98
Dyfed-Powys 17,994 –4.3
Gwent 47,043 –0.8
North Wales 38,658 –7.9
South Wales 128,811 –4.2
1998–99 (new rules)1
Dyfed-Powys 24,588 –0.8
Gwent 58,738 –0.7
North Wales 43,848 –5.4
South Wales 134,820 –6.1
1999–2000
Dyfed-Powys 23,709 –3.6
Gwent 60,132 2.4
North Wales 44,606 1.7
South Wales 127,040 –5.8
2000–01
Dyfed-Powys 22,878 –3.5
Gwent 56,728 –5.7
North Wales 47,708 7.0
South Wales 111,131 –12.5
1Denotes crimes recorded using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.

Government revenue grant for Welsh police forces since 1997 is set out in the table. This is provision for all policing activity, including crime.

£million
Dyfed-Powys Gwent North Wales South Wales
1997–98 42.1 56.5 60.8 137.3
1998–99 42.4 58.2 61.5 141.0
1999–2000 43.1 60.7 63.8 143.8
2000–01 45.8 63.3 66.5 147.3
2001–02 50.7 66.7 72.4 156.4
2002–03 52.3 68.7 74.0 161.9

Provision includes Home Office principal formula police grant, crime fighting fund and rural policing grant and Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates.

Under DTLR floors and ceilings arrangements, all forces were guaranteed a minimum increase in police and DTLR grants of 2.3 per cent. for 2002–03. Floors and ceilings are not applied by the National Assembly for Wales, but to ensure North Wales benefited from a minimum increase of 2.3 per cent, the Home Secretary agreed to make a special payment to North Wales police authority of £362,000. Crime fighting fund and rural policing grants are outside this arrangement.

Figures for 2002–03 are not directly comparable with 2001–02 owing to the change in funding arrangements for the National Crime Squad/National Criminal Intelligence Service. On a like—for—like basis the comparable figures in 2001–02 for Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales are £50.2 million, £65.8 million, £71.5 million and £154.3 million respectively.