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Police Officers

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers in each police force in England and Wales and in total on (a) 31 March 1979, (b) 31 March 1987 and (c) 31 March in each year since 1992. [127212]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested for March 1979 and March 1987 is set out in the table. For 1992 and subsequent years, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) on 10 November 1999, Official Report, column 590W.

Police numbers for 1979 and 1987

Force	Police numbers as at 31 March 1979	Police numbers as at 31 March 1987
Avon and Somerset	2,825	3,009
Bedfordshire	902	984
Cambridgeshire	1,064	1,142
Cheshire	1,778	1,830
City of London	829	771
Cleveland	1,334	1,462
Cumbria	1,056	1,118
Derbyshire	1,563	1,777
Devon and Cornwall	2,660	2,774
Dorset	1,128	1,202
Durham	1,312	1,307
Dyfed-Powys	910	932
Essex	2,461	2,718
Gloucestershire	1,076	1,152
Greater Manchester	6,419	6,780
Gwent	965	973
Hampshire	2,949	3,098
Hertfordshire	1,462	1,579
Humberside	1,849	1,964
Kent	2,724	2,879
Lancashire	3,097	3,134
Leicestershire	1,701	1,712
Lincolnshire	1,171	1,173
Merseyside	4,427	4,598
Metropolitan Police	22,214	26,890
Norfolk	1,223	1,312
Northamptonshire	905	1,047
Northumbria	3,272	3,402
North Wales	1,268	1,286
North Yorkshire	1,342	1,353
Nottinghamshire	2,117	2,226
South Wales	2,936	3,100
South Yorkshire	2,546	2,862
Staffordshire	1,978	2,113
Suffolk	1,064	1,166
Surrey	1,440	1,609
Sussex	2,758	2,830
Thames Valley	2,639	3,421
Warwickshire	841	965
West Mercia	1,743	1,929
West Midlands	5,981	6,656
West Yorkshire	4,727	5,142
Wiltshire	997	1,044
Total police force strength	109,653	120,421

23 Jun 2000 : Column: 343W

Compulsory Voting

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the introduction of compulsory voting; and if he will make a statement. [127831]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have recently been sent a copy of a Fabian Society pamphlet making the case for compulsory voting. In addition, we continue to receive a small number of letters both in favour of and against compulsory voting.

We have no plans to introduce compulsory voting.

Correspondence

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 20 May on behalf of his constituent Mr. Berisha. [127369]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member today. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 9 May on behalf of his constituent Mrs. Djukic. [127375]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman today. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 26 April on behalf of his constituent Mr. Jones. [127372]

23 Jun 2000 : Column: 344W

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 22 June in response to his letter of 26 April on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Jones. I am very sorry that I was unable to do so sooner, and would like, through the right hon. Member, to extend my apology to Mr. Jones for the delay.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 13 April on behalf of his constituent Mr. South. [127377]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 23 June, in response to his letter of 13 April on behalf of his constituent, Mr. South. I am very sorry that I was unable to do so sooner and would like, through the right hon. Member, to extend my apology to Mr. South for the delay.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 14 April on behalf of his constituent Mr. Meakins. [127370]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 23 June in response to his letter of 14 April on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Meakins. I am very sorry that I was unable to do so sooner and would like, through the right hon. Member, to extend my apology to Mr. Meakins for the delay.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 9 May on behalf of his constituent Mrs. Putaj. [127376]

Mr. Straw: I replied to the right hon. Member's letter of 9 May on 23 June.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 11 May on behalf of his constituent Mr. Block. [127368]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 22 June.

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 2 May on behalf of his constituent Mr. Harris. [127373]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 23 June in response to his letter of 2 May on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Harris. I am very sorry that I was unable to do so sooner and would like, through the right hon. Member, to extend my apology to Mr. Harris for the delay.

23 Jun 2000 : Column: 343W

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