§ Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the improvement in police pay and conditions of employment since May 1979; and how this compares both with the increases in the cost of living index and in the level of male earnings.
§ Mr. WhitelawSince 1 May 1979, when the Edmund-Davies pay recommendations were implemented in full, the basic pay of police officers below the rank of assistant chief constable has been increased on 1 September each year in line with increases in the average earnings index during the previous 12 months. This has produced an increase of 72 per cent., which compares favourably with both the increase in the RPI and the average earnings of men over the age of 21 in full-time employment over the same period. Pension contributions payable by police officers were increased from 1 September 1982 from 7 per206W cent. to 11 per cent. for men and from 5 per cent. to 8 per cent. for women. Apart from increases in the allowances paid to officers in London, the only improvement in conditions of service has been an increase from 18 days to 20 days in the annual leave entitlement of constables with less than 10 years' service.