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Police Numbers (Northamptonshire)

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 14 December 2009.

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Photo of Peter Bone Peter Bone Conservative, Wellingborough 2:30, 14 December 2009

How many police officers there are per 100,000 population in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.

Photo of David Hanson David Hanson Minister of State (Home Office) (Crime and Policing)

Northamptonshire had 196 police officers to 100,000 of the population as of 31 March 2009, compared with 266 for England and Wales.

Photo of Peter Bone Peter Bone Conservative, Wellingborough

The Minister has already made it clear that Northamptonshire is under-served by police officers compared with the national average. What makes that worse is that only 10 per cent. of police officers' time in Northamptonshire is served on the beat. Have not this Government completely failed in getting police officers on the beat in Northamptonshire?

Photo of David Hanson David Hanson Minister of State (Home Office) (Crime and Policing)

Those officers who are on the beat seem to have reduced overall crime by 19 per cent. over the past five years, so whatever they are doing, they are doing something right. I do not recognise the figures the hon. Gentleman used. On the earlier bureaucracy question, we said that only 20 per cent. of time is spent on paperwork. Sometimes paperwork is important, because it leads to convictions and reduces crime still further.

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