To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics her Department gathers on transfers of police officers between forces; and how many police officers have transferred (a) from Sussex police to the Metropolitan police and (b) from the Metropolitan police to Sussex police in the latest period for which figures are available. (186352)

[holding answer 18 February 2008]: The Home Office centrally collects statistics on the total number of police officers transferring in to each force, and separately collects the total number of police officers transferring out from each force. The data do not identify the force to or from which the transfer occurred. In 2006-07 (the latest period for which figures are available), 40 full-time equivalent police officers transferred out from Sussex police to other forces, and 24 officers transferred in to Sussex police from other forces.