To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on police community support officers while on duty were recorded in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (289158)

Data for the numbers of assaults on police officers and operational police staff for 2003-04 and 2004-05 can be found in the HMIC Annual Report 2004-05, available in the Library of the House.

These data are not available by individual rank and therefore appear in the report as a combined figure for officers, PCSOs and other operational support staff.

Data for the numbers of assaults on police community support officers for 2005-06 to 2007-08 are also available in the House Library.

Assaults data are collected on behalf on Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary who use the data for inspection purposes and have agreed to the release of these figures.