To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2007, Official Report, column 1651W, on special constables, for what reasons the recruitment figures are not published in the Police Service Strength Bulletin; and if he will publish such figures in future editions. (133366)

[holding answer 23 April 2007]: The annual Home Office Statistical Bulletin series “Police Service Strength, England and Wales” publish joiners and leavers data for special constables. The data for joiners take into consideration not only those individuals who are recruited to the force, but also those who transfer between forces and those who leave the force and subsequently rejoin at a later date. For this reason, data for joiners are considered a more accurate representation of changes in strength than recruits. Data are published in this way not only for special constables but also for police officers.