§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of police officers in(a) England and Wales, (b) Avon and and Somerset and (c) East Somerset district in each year from 1980–81 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement [92084]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 22 January 2003]: Information on the number of officers in England and Wales and Avon and Somerset Constabulary for 1980–81 to 2001–02 (the latest available statistics) is set out in the table. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has set a target for there to be 130,000 officers in March 2003 and 132,500 officers in 2004, but he has not set targets for individual forces.
The deployment of resources between the eight territorial divisions and other specialist operational and support units of the force is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes) on 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 589W, setting out police strength for each Basic Command Unit for each force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2002.
710W
Police numbers; England and Wales and for Avon and Somerset 1980–81 to 2001–02 Year (as at 31 March) Police numbers England and Wales Police numbers Avon and Somerset 1981 118,102 2,953 1982 119,973 3,011 1983 121,003 2,970 1984 121,053 2,997 1985 120,116 2,982 1986 120,848 2,958 1987 122,236 3,009 1988 124,080 3,013 1989 125,631 3,014 1990 126,777 3,094 1991 127,495 3,092 1992 127,627 3,081 1993 128,290 3,068 1994 127,897 3,033 1995 127,222 3,000 1996 126,901 2,981 1997 127,158 2,989 1998 126,814 2,976 1999 126,096 2,999 2000 124,418 2,934 2001 125,519 2,960 2002 129,603 3,096