The total amount of outstanding advances to police officers at 30 June 2007 was £39,333.93.
The information needed to provide a breakdown by activity is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The police strength figures for the last 10 years are shown in the following table:
As at 31 December each year Regular Full-time reserve Part-time reserve 1997 8,485 2,982 1,324 1998 8,456 2,936 1,238 1999 8,445 2,719 1,174 2000 8,268 2,555 1,097 2001 7,149 2,256 1,032 2002 7,129 1,862 952 2003 7,323 1,645 868 2004 7,484 1,419 909 2005 7,490 1,060 844 2006 7,534 793 781 July 2007 7,413 675 863
In 1998 when Patten conducted his investigation, only 8.3 per cent. of regular officers were from the Catholic community. Under the temporary 50:50 provisions Catholic composition among regular officers has risen to 22.45 per cent. (as of 11 June 2007) with 2,699 recruits having been selected for appointment on a 50:50 basis.
I am advised by PSNI that the percentage figures for community background of regular officers, part-time reserve and full-time reserve for the last 10 years is as set out in the following table. The figures have been compiled from the Annual Monitoring Returns to the Equality Commission and relate to 1 January of each year.
Percentage non-Catholic Percentage Catholic Percentage not determined Total number (a) Full-time 1998 88.56 8.23 3.20 8,491 1999 88.32 8.33 3.34 8,462 2000 88.27 8.37 3.36 8,516 2001 88.18 8.45 3.36 8,352 2002 87.64 8.88 3.47 7,227 2003 85.04 11.68 3.28 7,193 2004 83.03 13.88 3.08 7,332 2005 80.38 16.88 2.75 7,496 2006 78.32 19.05 2.63 7,492 2007 76.36 21.06 2.59 7,542 (b) Part-time reservist 1998 93.88 4.83 1.28 1,324 1999 93.78 4.93 1.29 1,238 2000 93.84 4.88 1.28 1,168 2001 93.80 4.83 1.37 1,097 2002 93.56 5.15 1.29 1,010 2003 93.42 5.20 1.38 942 2004 93.50 5.11 1.39 861 2005 93.21 5.57 1.22 898 2006 92.62 6.05 1.33 826 2007 92.49 6.35 1.17 772 (c) Full-time reservist 1998 87.72 6.91 5.37 2,981 1999 87.47 6.91 5.62 2,936 2000 87.38 6.95 5.67 2,718 2001 87.24 7.05 5.71 2,555 2002 86.93 6.94 6.13 2,234 2003 86.96 6.63 6.41 1,856 2004 86.90 6.46 6.64 1,641 2005 86.95 6.21 6.84 1,418 2006 88.60 5.65 5.75 1,044 2007 89.96 5.08 4.95 767
The police civilian strength figures for the last 10 years are shown in the following table:
As at 31 December each year Civilian 1997 2,930 1998 3,035 1999 2,916 2000 3,125 2001 3,293 2002 3,322 2003 3,192 2004 3,104 2005 3,001 2006 2,732 July 2007 2,676