To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full time police officers, (b) special constables and (c) civilian police support staff there were in the Suffolk constabulary in each year since 1997. [104801]

The table gives number of police officers, special constables and civilian support staff in the Suffolk constabulary from 1997 to 2002.

The table gives numbers of police officers and civilian staff and the rate per 100,000 population for police forces in the eastern region.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has undertaken on the density of police officers in the UK per (a) area and (b) head of population; which of these studies contained international comparisons; and if he will make a statement. [104430]

The Home Office produces annually national, statistics on the density of total police officers and constables per head of population.The latest data available are contained in "Police Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2002" Home Office Online Report 23/03. The average number of police officers for England and Wales per 100,000 population (including National Crime Squad (NCS), National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), and other secondments) was 252.6. Figures for 31 March 2003 will be published in due course.An international comparison of police officer density per 100,000 population was conducted by the Home Office for the period 2000 (See table.) These data will be updated in future.