§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the fact that the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary is advertising for experienced detective constables in England and Wales to take up temporary engagements of six months with the RUC under Section 2 of the Police Act 1969, what arrangements exist for the protection of the pension and other rights of such police officers in their normal places of employment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CarlisleSection 2 of the Police Act 1969 confers an entitlement to revert to the home police force and preserves promotion rights. While serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, an officer is entitled to benefit under the Royal Ulster Constabulary pension scheme and arrangements are made by the payment of a transfer value, for service in the home police force to be reckonable. 341W Similarly, on return to a home police force all previous service, including that in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, is reckonable. I understand that amendments are to be made to the Royal Ulster Constabulary pension scheme, similar to those recently made to the Great Britain scheme, and that they will be retrospective to 1st April 1972.