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21 Oct 2002 : Column 99W—continued

Special Constables

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were serving in (a) Sussex police and (b) Highdown division in each year since 1997. [73923]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 15 October 2002]: Police Personnel statistics are collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate every six months. The figures are collected per force and not at divisional level. The figures available for the Sussex Special Constabulary as a whole at 31 March each year since 1997 are given in the table below:

1997	472
1998	442
1999	393
2000	352
2001	306
2002	306

Note:

* Statistics provided by Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

The special constabulary is a key element of the reform agenda. Specials have a vital role to play in reducing crime and providing reassurance to the public. We are committed to increasing the number of specials. In May we announced a new headline role for specials, focusing on intelligence led patrolling and crime reduction initiatives. Also in May we introduced a new foundation training package for specials. With the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) we are preparing, good practice guidance which will help forces to develop their strategies for improving both the recruitment and retention of specials.

Hilda Murrell

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in the Hilda Murrell murder investigation. [73717]

Mr. Denham: A major crime review of the 1984 murder enquiry into the death of Hilda Murrell was launched in April 2002. It is being conducted in line with West Mercia Police force policy and guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), issued in 1998, which states that undetected major crimes should be periodically reviewed. The review is proceeding according to plan.

21 Oct 2002 : Column 100W

The objectives of the review, drawn up by West Mercia Police force's Chief Officers, are:

1 To attempt to identify and report on what investigative opportunities exist within the current enquiry that may assist in detecting the crime.

2 To ensure the existing enquiry paper, audio, exhibits and other documents are maintained in the best possible state for subsequent investigative action and review.

3 To produce a report with recommendations for further action.

I understand that in order to ensure that the potential of the review is fully explored, experts from a range of fields—including the National Crime Operations Faculty (CENTREX)—are being consulted.

The original enquiry was paper-based and pre-dated the HOLMES computerised enquiry system. It ran for over two years, nearly 3,000 statements were taken, over 2,500 exhibits seized or referred to and many thousands of other documents contained within the investigation file. A significant part of the review involves capturing the case information on modern computerised systems to allow more efficient analysis. Whilst this process is ongoing other material held by the enquiry is being assessed and reviewed for forensic potential and opportunities.

Due to the size and complexity of the review, the process of data capture will not be completed before the end of 2002. The forensic review will require a staged submission of identified items, and it is therefore difficult to accurately predict when that process will be complete. However, the current estimate is the last quarter of 2003 at the earliest.

Jubilee Celebrations

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has received from the Metropolitan Police of the numbers of people present in and near the Mall on each day of the Jubilee celebrations. [73434]

Mr. Denham: The Metropolitan Police inform me that the following numbers of people were estimated to be present in and near the Mall on each day of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

1 June – Classical concert within the grounds of Buckingham Palace relayed to screens located in the Mall. The estimated attendance in and near Mall was 50,000 to 70,000.

2 June – No event.

3 June – Music event at Hyde Park. Concert within the grounds of Buckingham Palace relayed to screens in the Mall, followed by a fireworks display outside Buckingham Palace. The estimated audience during the course of the day was 800,000 to 1,000,000.

4 June—State procession from Buckingham Palace to St. Paul's Cathedral, followed by pageant. All of these events were also relayed to screens in the area of the Mall, St. James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. The estimated attendance for these events was in the region of 1,000,000.

Roadside Checks

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roadside checks were carried out

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by each police force during the last 12 months for the purposes of (a) speed, (b) use of seat belts and child restraints, (c) vehicle safety and roadworthiness and (d) influence of alcohol or drugs. [73432]

21 Oct 2002 : Column 102W

Mr. Denham: Information is not available centrally on the number of roadside checks carried out by the police on motorists. However, available information by type of police action is given in the table.

Motoring Offences (Speeding, seat belts, vehicle condition & driving after consuming alcohol/drugs) dealt with by official police action and police force area. England and Wales 2000

	Speed limit offences(32)				Seat belt offences(33)				Vehicle defect offences(34)				consuming alcohol/drugs(35)
	Written Warnings	Fixed Penalties	Proceedings at magistrates' courts	Total dealt with	Written Warnings	Fixed Penalties	Proceedings at magistrates' courts	Total dealt with	Written Warnings	Fixed Penalties	Proceedings at magistrates' courts	Total dealt with	Written Warnings	Proceedings at magistrates' courts	Total dealt with
Avon & Somerset	70	36,122	4,671	40,863	3	4,360	102	4,465	75	107	1,446	1,628	1	2,719	2,720
Bedfordshire	12,862	16,707	2,316	31,885	—	3,841	37	3,878	1	44	198	243	—	884	884
Cambridgeshire	2	8,708	1,692	10,402	1	1,639	73	1,713	1	62	333	396	—	882	882
Cheshire	223	15,356	4,805	20,384	1	3,229	68	3,298	8	149	685	842	—	1,899	1,899
Cleveland	1,317	23,228	1,126	25,671	2,469	1,653	87	4,209	89	112	1,219	1,420	—	858	858
Cumbria	4	4,103	1,610	5,717	9	1,360	145	1,514	38	323	862	1,223	1	874	875
Derbyshire	16	18,291	5,308	23,615	—	3,535	84	3,619	68	106	1,116	1,290	—	1,599	1,599
Devon & Cornwall	39	28,091	5,324	33,454	9	5,588	118	5,715	26	178	1,102	1,306	—	2,421	2,421
Dorset	—	18,305	1,456	19,761	—	4,959	32	4,991	3	198	294	495	—	1,244	1,244
Durham	4	9,180	1,458	10,642	6	3,146	89	3,241	8	37	1,164	1,209	2	1,218	1,220
Essex	7	102,326	6,887	109,220	1	6,734	125	6,860	4	77	787	868	1	2,702	2,703
Gloucestershire	28	5,781	2,675	8,484	2	1,393	25	1,420	1	46	661	708	—	891	891
Gt Manchester	89	59,765	15,263	75,117	21	10,241	706	10,968	22	647	2,478	3,147	—	5,186	5,186
Hampshire	264	27,566	6,498	34,328	6	4,246	209	4,461	28	93	1,877	1,998	12	3,812	3,824
Hertfordshire	124	23,956	2,635	26,715	19	3,639	81	3,739	239	80	919	1,238	3	1,691	1,694
Humberside	2	22,209	2,181	24,392	5	3,963	81	4,049	10	258	818	1,086	—	1,468	1,468
Kent	25	24,617	2,501	27,143	2	4,707	54	4,763	30	543	2,786	3,359	1	2,807	2,808
Lancashire	3	29,683	5,932	35,618	—	9,787	348	10,135	20	706	2,291	3,017	—	2,879	2,879
Leicestershire	1	8,094	2,124	10,219	3	2,086	102	2,191	33	280	669	982	6	1,651	1,657
Lincolnshire	22	26,319	3,724	30,065	7	2,359	64	2,430	18	20	627	665	—	911	911
London, City of	1	353	206	560	—	186	5	191	1	22	302	325	—	193	193
Merseyside	1,943	7,385	1,651	10,979	874	2,831	261	3,966	111	170	807	1,088	7	2,515	2,522
Met Police	32	54,843	9,175	64,050	44	6,270	630	6,944	45	1,725	7,479	9,249	7	14,166	14,173
Norfolk	—	4,783	1,482	6,265	—	3,547	62	3,609	—	71	540	611	—	1,014	1,014
Northamptonshire	—	35,489(36)	288	35,777	—	1,245	15	1,260	3	9	412	424	1	898	899
Northumbria	747	24,265	3,920	28,932	584	3,952	281	4,817	166	819	2,339	3,324	1	2,958	2,959
North Yorkshire	3	5,295	1,303	6,601	—	1,293	58	1,351	18	112	390	520	—	1,160	1,160
Nottinghamshire	347	23,766	1,497	25,610	—	1,391	83	1,474	—	7	1,007	1,014	—	1,915	1,915
South Yorkshire	2	20,987	2,769	23,758	5	5,782	135	5,922	17	470	1,607	2,094	—	2,322	2,322
Staffordshire	26	13,969	..	16,518(37)	18	2,212	..	2,291(37)	78	130	..	1,917(37)	4	..	2,014(37)
Suffolk	2	12,596	1,292	13,890	18	1,423	65	1,506	19	83	474	576	—	1,002	1,002
Surrey	34	12,072	3,127	15,233	—	5,696	88	5,784	27	112	804	943	2	1,729	1,731
Sussex	17	24,990	4,681	29,688	1	5,349	85	5,435	17	105	540	662	32	2,327	2,359
Thames Valley	87	71,888	8,784	80,759	2	7,142	174	7,318	10	288	1,061	1,359	1	3,921	3,922
Warwickshire	3,260	2,099	4,825	10,184	1,183	881	49	2,113	231	48	652	931	—	855	855
West Mercia	144	22,150	2,989	25,283	—	2,266	116	2,382	38	343	1,351	1,732	—	1,741	1,741
West Midlands	9	5,668	4,099	9,776	3	3,411	310	3,724	29	380	2,229	2,638	1	5,212	5,213
West Yorkshire	13	24,595	6,222	30,830	9	4,484	236	4,729	21	283	1,715	2,019	1	3,798	3,799
Wiltshire	212	16,351	2,606	19,169	—	3,047	78	3,125	12	64	561	637	—	997	997
Total England	21,981	891,951	143,625	1,057,557	5,305	144,873	5,422	155,600	1,565	9,307	48,311	59,183	84	89,329	89,413
Dyfed Powys	5	8,840	1,035	9,880	3	1,617	48	1,668	50	105	476	631	1	985	986
Gwent	45	16,518	4,123	20,686	3	3,288	61	3,352	15	95	755	865	4	1,341	1,345
North Wales	21	16,980	2,987	19,988	4	2,533	55	2,592	20	173	624	817	—	1,430	1,430
South Wales	2,051	54,383	2,898	59,332	848	2,990	154	3,992	61	241	1,326	1,628	2	3,075	3,077
Total Wales	2,122	96,721	11,043	109,886	858	10,428	318	11,604	146	614	3,181	3,941	7	6,831	6,838
Total England & Wales	24,103	988,672	154,668	1,167,443	6,163	155,301	5,740	167,204	1,711	9,921	51,492	63,124	91	96,160	96,251

Notes:

⁽³²⁾ All speed limit offences: Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 secs 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 & 89. Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973. Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926 and byelaws made thereunder

⁽³³⁾ Seat Belt offences: Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 14 (3), 15 (2) & (4).

⁽³⁴⁾ Vehicle or part in dangerous or defective condition: Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regs 7, 8, 11, 16, 18, 22 to 24, 25 to 27, 29, 30 to 39, 45 to 48, 61, 63, 71, 100. Schedule 3, Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 40A (a) & (b), 41A, 42 as added by the Road Traffic Act 1991, sec 8.

⁽³⁵⁾ Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs: Road Traffic Act 1988 secs 4 (1) & (2), 5 (1) (a) & (b), 6 (4), 7 (6). (Fixed Penalty Notices not issued for these offences).

⁽³⁶⁾ Amended data Northamptonshire Police have revised figures down from published figures of 70,298.

⁽³⁷⁾ Proceedings at magistrates' courts—estimates made for Staffordshire Police Force, who were only able to supply data for a sample of weeks in 2000, have been included in totals only.

..Not available

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