§ Tom CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police recruitment into the Metropolitan police. [125504]
§ Ms BlearsThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that since 1 April 2003 the Metropolitan police have recruited 765 officers against a recruitment target for the year of 3,440. Of the 765 recruited so far 21.5 per cent. were female and 11.6 per cent. were from visible Ethnic Minorities. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) currently has approximately 1,250 vacancies.
About 5,500 applications are under consideration. Successful candidates from these applications will meet the MPS requirement for recruits to March 2004.