asked the Home Secretary whether he has any control over the number of the police forces maintained by either the county or borough police authorities; whether, in the case of reduction of numbers by any authority, his Department must be advised; whether he has received notice of any reduction in the number of police maintained by any of the home county authorities; and, if so, can he state by which authorities?

The authorised establishment of every force, and any change thereof, are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State. As part of the measures for securing economies in the current year's expenditure on the police, my right hon. Friend has asked all police authorities to leave a certain number of vacancies unfilled for the present, but I cannot say what reduction has been effected up to the present date in the home counties.