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Warrants

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) interception warrants and (b) modifications of warrants he authorised in 1999. [122280]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The annual reports of the Commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 list the number of interception warrants issued by the Home Secretary in the course of each year. The report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 1999 has not yet been published. However, as in 1998, the Commissioner Lord Nolan has agreed to release the figures requested in advance of publication. The numbers to be published are:

(a) 1,734
(b) 565

15 May 2000 : Column: 57W

Special Constables

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were recruited by each police force in England and Wales, and how many left, between 30 September 1999 and 31 December 1999. [122298]

Mr. Charles Clarke: These figures are collected from police forces on a half-yearly basis as at 30 September and 31 March each financial year. The latest period for which figures are available is 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in each police force area in England and Wales who were recruited and who left during that period were:

Force	Recruited	Left
Avon and Somerset	14	79
Bedfordshire	11	17
Cambridgeshire	29	31
Cheshire	8	29
City of London	8	6
Cleveland	9	18
Cumbria	11	22
Derbyshire	15	29
Devon and Cornwall	75	60
Dorset	15	16
Durham	24	15
Dyfed-Powys	6	19
Essex	38	43
Gloucestershire	6	9
Greater Manchester	53	78
Gwent	6	9
Hampshire	73	113
Hertfordshire	21	21
Humberside	14	15
Kent	54	96
Lancashire	20	38
Leicestershire	18	31
Lincolnshire	14	8
Merseyside	41	3
Metropolitan Police	(9)1	39
Norfolk	23	43
Northamptonshire	13	28
Northumbria	27	37
North Wales	10	67
North Yorkshire	(10)2	33
Nottinghamshire	13	21
South Wales	12	21
South Yorkshire	20	34
Staffordshire	20	21
Suffolk	53	53
Surrey	8	26
Sussex	19	51
Thames Valley	35	63
Warwickshire	15	38
West Mercia	46	24
West Midlands	55	53
West Yorkshire	93	80
Wiltshire	11	13
Total	1,059	1,555

(9) A number of successful applicants were awaiting a training course towards the end of 1999 and were not counted as recruited until the course commenced.

(10) Due to boundary restructuring applications during the relevant period were not processed until the end of 1999.

The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

We are addressing the decline in numbers. In March we funded a two-week national radio and press recruitment campaign at a cost of £700,000. We have commissioned

15 May 2000 : Column: 58W

some research into what attracts people to the Special Constabulary to help inform the next phase of recruitment activity. The findings are due shortly. In addition, in the next few months we will be providing better sick pay arrangements for injury on duty and improving expenses and allowances. We will also be introducing a scheme to give special constables access to free legal advice and representation if subject to criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in each police force in England and Wales on 31 December 1999. [122301]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The latest date for which figures are available is 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in post in each police force area in England and Wales on that date was:

Special constables in post on 30 September 1999

Force	Number
Avon and Somerset	482
Bedfordshire	148
Cambridgeshire	293
Cheshire	358
City of London	66
Cleveland	108
Cumbria	193
Derbyshire	303
Devon and Cornwall	908
Dorset	287
Durham	169
Dyfed-Powys	237
Essex	528
Gloucestershire	221
Greater Manchester	498
Gwent	110
Hampshire	720
Hertfordshire	232
Humberside	263
Kent	484
Lancashire	397
Leicestershire	303
Lincolnshire	218
Merseyside	467
Metropolitan Police	1,173
Norfolk	317
Northamptonshire	210
Northumbria	356
North Wales	262
North Yorkshire	245
Nottinghamshire	405
South Wales	331
South Yorkshire	236
Staffordshire	460
Suffolk	420
Surrey	205
Sussex	377
Thames Valley	514
Warwickshire	260
West Mercia	512
West Midlands	697
West Yorkshire	572
Wiltshire	182
Total	15,727

The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

15 May 2000 : Column: 59W

Metropolitan Police Officers

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many constables have had less than two years police service in the Metropolitan police in each month since January. [122271]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis:

Constables with less than two years police service since January 2000

Month	Total
January	2,221
February	2,205
March	2,242
April	2,326

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in the Metropolitan police have (a) resigned, (b) applied to retire on ill health grounds or have retired and (c) transferred to another force since 1 January. [122273]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that since 1 January 2000, 130 of his officers have resigned, 89 have retired on ill-health grounds and 107 have transferred to other forces.

Metropolitan Police Stations

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police stations in the Metropolitan police area which (a) closed and (b) reduced hours in 1999. [122288]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that six police stations closed during 1999: Biggin Hill, Chislehurst, Westcombe Park, Collier Row, Lee Road and Barnes. A further six reduced opening hours: Muswell Hill, Highgate, St. Ann's, Brockley, Banstead (now part of Surrey Constabulary) and Tooting.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police stations in the Metropolitan police area which are planned (a) to close and (b) to reduce hours in 2000. [122289]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that Putney police station closed in January of this year. No further closures are planned for 2000. Opening hours will be reduced at Shepherd's Bush and Stratford.

Police Numbers (Wastage)

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what wastage in police numbers has taken place since September 1999 in each police force; and if he will make a statement. [122279]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Information about wastage and other changes in police numbers, between 30 September 1999 and 31 March 2000, is not yet complete as a number of forces are still to submit returns. We plan to publish

15 May 2000 : Column: 60W

data on police numbers as soon as they are complete and have been verified. Our current plans are to publish these data by 30 June.

Metropolitan Police (Civilian Staff)

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilian staff there have been in the Metropolitan Police Service in each month since January. [122276]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

Month	Civil staff (full-time equivalent)
January	10,791
February	10,782
March	10,759
April	10,666

Press Officers

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press officers were employed by his Department in (a) March 1997 and (b) March 2000. [122299]

Mr. Straw: The nearest monthly figures I am able to provide are for April 1997 when there were 14 press officers employed in the Home Office press office. This figure includes one trainee, a Higher Executive Officer and a Chief Immigration Officer on secondment.

As at March 2000 there were 17. This figure includes three trainees, a Chief Immigration Officer and a Higher Executive Officer on secondment to the Home Office Press Office.

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