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Lancet Inquiry
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total costs of the Lancet and associated inquiries to date, indicating the costs of the witness statements submitted to the CPS, broken down into (a) stationery, (b) postage, (c) clerical, (d) officers and (e) heating and lighting; and if he will make a statement. [154924]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand from the Chief Constable of Cleveland police that the total police costs of the Lancet and associated inquiries to date is £3,252,000. The total cost is inclusive of salaries, overtime and travel and subsistence costs incurred by officers from Cleveland, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and West Yorkshire, together with expenditure incurred for rental of premises and office expenses. A total of 3,162 witness statements and interviews have been taken since the inquiry began in November 1997. The Chief Constable informs me that the total costs could be broken down into the categories requested only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the costs to public funds of the suspension of officers during Operation Lancet; and if he will make a statement. [154925]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand from the Chief Constable of Cleveland police that the estimated costs of salaries and related costs up to 31 March 2001 in respect of the eight suspended officers is £870,600.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total costs of the involvement of Warwickshire police in the Lancet Inquiry; and if he will make a statement. [154927]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand from the Chief Constable of Cleveland police that the total costs incurred to date by officers from Warwickshire Constabulary is £76,300.
Operation Dollar/Operation Eagle
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the costs to date of the (a) Operation Dollar and (b) Operation Eagle inquiries broken down by (i) wage, (ii) overtime, (iii) expenses, (iv) office accommodation and (v) stationery; and if he will make a statement. [154926]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand from the Chief Constable of Cleveland police that the total costs of Operation Dollar amount to £326,400 broken down as follows: (a) wages, overtime and costs: £312,500; (b) transport: £8,800; (c) subsistence: £3,700; and, (d) office expenses: £1,400. Operation Eagle was an internal administrative arrangement by Cleveland police to handle disciplinary issues arising from Operation Lancet and the costs cannot be separately identified.
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the size of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate; and if he will make a statement. [155576]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: This has been under consideration for some time as a means of ensuring the efficient and effective implementation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which provides for the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. I am pleased to announce that the existing complement of 21 inspectors will be increased to 33 over the next three financial years.
The extra 12 inspectors will result in a substantial and unprecedented level of Inspectorate staffing. This will lead to more inspections to ensure compliance with licence conditions, and will enable applications for authorities under the 1986 Act to be dealt with more efficiently, without compromising the quality of advice offered by the Inspectorate. Furthermore, the Home Office will be able to become more proactive in raising standards of animal care and welfare, and to play a greater role in developing and promoting strategies of "replacement, reduction and refinement".
The cost of the additional inspectors will in due course have to be reflected in licence fees paid by those conducting animal research.
I hope that the scientific community and animal welfare organisations--and the general public--will welcome this important announcement. It is a practical demonstration of the Government's commitment to ensure that, for as long as there is a need to use animals in scientific research, the legislation to protect them is applied to maximum effect.
Police Numbers
Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and civilian staff
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there are (a) in total and (b) for each police force in England and Wales for the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [154903]
Mr. Straw: The tables show, for March 1997, March 2000, September 2000 and January 2001, total numbers of police officers and civilians for each police authority in England and Wales, together with changes in numbers since March 1997 and September 2000.
The total number of police officers for September 2000 has been amended from 124,614 to 124,547 as a result of a revision made by the Northumbria police in respect of the figures which they provided for the September returns.
On 31 January 2001 total police numbers, including secondments, in England and Wales were 125,537, an increase of 990 over the revised position at 30 September 2000.
Between 30 September 2000 and 31 January 2001, the number of civilian support staff increased by 565 to 54,598, including secondments. This is the highest number ever recorded. In total, there were 180,135 police officers and civilian staff on 31 January 2001, as compared with 180,169 in March 1997.
The substantial investment provided to the police service through the Crime Fighting Fund, announced in September 1999, and which started operation in April 2000, is now delivering the positive results promised. Police numbers rose by 377 between 1 April and 30 September 2000 and by a further 990 between 1 October 2000 and 31 January 2001, a total increase in 10 months of 1,367. This rise in 10 months is the largest single increase in police numbers during one whole financial year since 1988-89.
On the basis of forces' projections, we expect that police numbers should reach 126,000 by March 2001, 128,000 by March 2002 and record numbers by March 2003.
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(12) Northumbria police revised their total police strength figure for September 2000 by a reduction of 67 officers. This figure in this table has been corrected.
(13) As of April 2000, the Metropolitan police force was reduced in size by a transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces of Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. These changes need to be borne in mind when comparing figures for these forces before and after April 2000.
(14) Excluding secondments
(15) Including secondments
Note:
Because of rounding, constituent parts may not necessarily sum to the totals
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(16) Excluding traffic wardens
(17) As of April 2000, the Metropolitan police force was reduced in size by a transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces of Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. These changes need to be borne in mind when comparing figures for these forces before and after April 2000.
(18) Excluding secondments
(19) Including secondments
(20) In the March 1997 figures, civilian secondments are counted within the figures for the forces from which they were seconded. The increase of 1,587 civilians between March 1997 and January 2001 takes this into account.
Note:
Because of rounding, constituent parts may not necessarily sum to the totals
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