asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to chief constables to ensure that police cadets are given adequate training in dealing with the theft of construction plant and machinery from construction sites.

Police cadets are appointed to undergo training with a view to becoming members of a police force, and it is not appropriate for them to be employed on operational duties needing police powers. The training provided for probationer constables covers a wide range of crime and crime prevention matters, and is kept under review to meet current needs. Dealing with plant and machinery theft is essentially an operational matter, and it is for individual chief officers of police to ensure that adequate measures are taken in each force.