asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish for each police authority in England and Wales (a) validated figures showing the number of officers in each force as at 31 March, (b) the changes since March 1998, (c) the percentage changes in their budget and in the numbers of officers between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 1999 and (d) the overall number of police officers and civilian support staff at the latest available date. [HL3717]
The information requested is set out in the tables.The total number of police officers in England and Wales at 31 March 1999, taking account of officers seconded outside of their forces, was 126,096. This represents a reduction of 677 officers (0.5 per cent.) since March 1998.Between March 1992 and March 1999, the number of civilian support staff increased by 5,695 to 53,031.
| Police Numbers—Change between March 1998 and March 1999 | ||
| Force | Strength as at 31 March 1999 | Change since 31 March 1998 |
| Avon and Somerset | 2,999.3 | +23.4 |
| Bedfordshire | 1,041.3 | -37.2 |
| Cambridgeshire | 1,274.4 | -17 |
| Cheshire | 2.070.6 | +28.7 |
| City of London | 778.1 | -46.8 |
| Cleveland | 1,415.6 | -67.8 |
| Cumbria | 1,126 | -37.5 |
| Derbyshire | 1,758.6 | -13.6 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 2.887 | -74.5 |
| Dorset | 1,279.1 | -30.9 |
| Durham | 1,567.9 | +53.1 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 1,026.3 | +24 |
| Essex | 2.890.5 | -38 |
| Gloucestershire | 1,104 | — |
| Greater Manchester | 6,809.9 | -138.8 |
| Gwent | 1,247.1 | +14.3 |
| Hampshire | 3,473.4 | -16.1 |
| Hertfordshire | 1,723.7 | -16.2 |
| Humberside | 1,974.4 | -46.8 |
| Kent | 3,200.8 | -50 |
| Lancashire | 3,244.8 | -12.3 |
| Leicestershire | 1,993.2 | +10.1 |
| Lincolnshire | 1,139.6 | -51.5 |
| Merseyside | 4,211 | -5.4 |
| Metropolitan Police | 26,073.1 | -20.7 |
| Norfolk | 1,381.4 | -48.2 |
| Northamptonshire | 1,137.5 | -31.2 |
| Northumbria | 3,840.2 | +71.5 |
| North Wales | 1,391 | -5 |
| North Yorkshire | 1,336.5 | -30.7 |
| Nottinghamshire | 2,224.6 | -98 |
| South Wales | 2,981.4 | -4.8 |
| South Yorkshire | 3,168 | -14 |
| Staffordshire | 2,237.6 | -54.5 |
| Suffolk | 1,190.2 | +4.4 |
| Surrey | 1,661.9 | +53.5 |
| Sussex | 2,846.8 | -107.9 |
| Thames Valley | 3,748.1 | -27.4 |
| Warwickshire | 907.7 | -16.4 |
| West Mercia | 2,024.7 | +15.1 |
| West Midlands | 7,320.8 | +165.3 |
| West Yorkshire | 4,982 | -172.7 |
| Wiltshire | 1,151 | -5.3 |
| Force total strength | 123.841 | -873.8 |
Police Numbers—Comparison between percentage change in numbers and changes in budgets for 1998–99
| ||
Force
| % Change in Police Numbers March 1998-March 1999
| %Change in Budget 1997–98–1998–99
|
5–5.9% reduction in strength
| ||
| City of London | -5.7% (-46.8) | -7.3% |
4–4.9% reduction in strength
| ||
| Cleveland | -4.6% (-67.8) | +5.1% |
| Lincolnshire | -4.3% (-51.5) | +1.1% |
| Nottinghamshire | -4.2% (-98) | +3.8% |
3–3.9% reduction in strength
| ||
| Bedfordshire | -3.4% (-37.2) | +3.8% |
| Cumbria | -3.2% (-37.5) | +3.7% |
| Norfolk | -3.4% (-48.2) | +3.8% |
| Sussex | -3.7% (-107.9) | +3.8% |
| West Yorkshire | -3.4% (-172.7) | +3.8% |
2–2.9% reduction in strength
| ||
| Devon & Cornwall | -2.5% (-74.5) | +4.5% |
| Dorset | -2.4% (-30.9) | +3.7% |
| Greater Manchester | -2% (-138.8) | +3.8% |
| Humberside | -2.3% (-46.8) | +3.8% |
| Northamptonshire | -2.7% (-31.2) | +3.7% |
| North Yorkshire | -2.2% (-30.7) | +4.0% |
| Staffordshire | -2.4% (-54.5) | +3.7% |
0–1.9% reduction in strength
| ||
| Cambridgeshire | -1.3% (-17) | +3.8% |
| Derbyshire | -0.8% (-13.6) | +3.8% |
| Essex | -1.3% (-38) | +3.7% |
| Hampshire | -0.5% (-16.1) | +3.8% |
| Hertfordshire | -0.9% (-16.2) | +3.8% |
| Kent | -1.5% (-50) | +4.4% |
| Lancashire | -0.4% (-12.3) | +3.8% |
| Metropolitan Police | -0.08% (-20.7) | +3.7% |
| Merseyside | -0.13% (-5.4%) | +3.8% |
| North Wales | -0.4% (-5) | +3.8% |
| South Wales | -0.2% (-4.8) | +3.8% |
| South Yorkshire | -0.4% (-14) | +3.8% |
| Thames Valley | -0.7% (-27.4) | +3.8% |
| Warwickshire | -1.8% (-16.4) | +3.7% |
| Wiltshire | -0.5% (-5.3) | +3.7% |
Forces with increases in police numbers
| ||
| Gloucestershire | +0.02% (+0.2) | +3.8% |
| Avon & Somerset | +0.8% (+23.4) | +3.8% |
| Cheshire | +1.4% (+28.7) | +3.8% |
| Durham | +3.5% (+53.1) | +4.9% |
| Dyfed-Powys | +2.4% (+24) | +3.8% |
| Gwent | +1.2% (+14.3) | +3.8% |
| Leicestershire | +0.5% (+10.1) | +3.8% |
| Northumbria | +1.9%(+71.5) | +4.7% |
| Suffolk | +0.4% (+4.4) | +3.8% |
| Surrey | +3.3% (+53.5) | -1.0% |
| West Mercia | +0.75% (+15.1) | +3.8% |
| West Midlands | +2.3% (+165.3) | +3.8% |
| Overall totals | -0.7% (-873.8) | +3.7% |