Kenny MacAskill issues police statistics pledge

JUSTICE Secretary Kenny MacAskill has pledged that information and statistics on local policing will still be available after Scotland’s forces are merged into one next year.

In answer to a question from Edinburgh Central SNP MSP Marco Biagi, Mr MacAskill acknowledged the question of local data had been a concern in the move to a single force.

But he told the Scottish Parliament: “The Scottish Government will continue to report on national police officer levels, and our legislation requires the police service of Scotland to make local authority level information available.

“The Scottish Government is working closely with the national police reform team on future plans for data collection, analysis and the reporting of statistical information relating to the delivery of policing. I assure the member that the figures will be available at the local level.”