To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Cumbria county council on the question of policing in the county.

I am considering the police authority's application for an additional 24 police posts for 1992–93.

Has the Home Secretary noted the dramatic 52 per cent. increase in crime in west Cumbria, which is reflected in vandalism, violence, intimidation of the elderly, intimidation of shopkeepers, ram-raiding and burglary? Does he regard those figures as appalling? When he talks about appointing 1,000 police officers nationally, does he understand that that means only 1·5 additional police officers per constituency, which does not begin to meet the problem? We need 30 police officers immediately. The people of Workington demand those appointments.

The hon. Gentleman will recall that since we have been in office, there has been an increase in the strength of the Cumbrian police of 110 uniformed officers and 144 civilians, making a total increase of 254. There were eight extra police officers this year, seven of them on patrol duties. I understand the hon. Gentleman's concern, because I have seen the reports of the increase in vandalism and hooliganism in Workington. I assure the hon. Gentleman that since we have been in office we have increased expenditure for the Cumbrian police authority by 80 per cent.

It is not enough.

When Labour were in office they cut police expenditure by 2 per cent.

Do something.

Order.

My right hon. Friend may have read reports in the newspapers today that the European Commission wants to abolish newspaper boys and girls in Cumbria and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Are the police likely to be involved in that?

Not as far as I know.

Is the problem to which the Home Secretary referred special to Cumbria or is it a general one? Can he tell us of one chief officer of police in Britain who believes that he has sufficient police officers to perform the duties imposed upon him?

About eight or 10 chief constables are not asking for an increase in police forces for next year—[Interruption.]—and I shall be glad to send the right hon. Gentleman a list. If he is so proud of police numbers, he should recall that when he was a member of the Labour Cabinet he cut police expenditure and left our police 8,000 under establishment. He is the guilty one.

I am sure that the public in Cumbria and elsewhere realise that no other Government would allocate these extra resources for the police. When my right hon. Friend is considering Cumbria's representations, will he also consider the position of Cambridgeshire, where the number of police per thousand population is the lowest in the country?

I shall certainly consider that. As I said, I have secured increased expenditure next year for another 1,000 uniformed police officers, in addition to the further 600 this year. Since 1979, there has been an increase of 15,000 uniformed officers, whereas their numbers were cut under the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley).

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker:

No point of order arises from this.

I wish to raise the matter on Adjournment.

On the Adjournment. Yes, all right.