Written question asked by Peter Bone (Conservative) on Tuesday, 3 February 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 5 February 2009. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 28 April 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Police: Bureaucracy

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimates she has made of the average length of time per day a police officer spends on patrol in (a) England and Wales and (b) Northamptonshire constabulary.

Answer: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 21 April 2009, Official Report, columns 604-05W.Police officer time spent on the beat for Northamptonshire is a matter for the chief constable of that force. The latest figure available was provided by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. McNulty) on 29 September 2008, Official Report, columns 2352-53W.

Secondary information