To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the additional police posts announced for 1990–91 will be deployed on operational duties.

The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for chief officers of police. Of the 1,008 extra police posts for provincial forces announced for 1990–91, however, 953 were intended for deployment to operational duties.The deployment of the 150 posts approved for the Metropolitan police has yet to be decided, although the great majority will go on operational duties.