§ Mr. DonaldsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will make a decision about the future of the Police Full-Time Reserve in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [64215]
§ Jane KennedyThe Government remain committed to the objective of phasing out the Full-Time Reserve in line with the Patten report and the Implementation Plan.
The Policing Board has asked the PSNI in the context of the service's overall human resources strategy, to prepare detailed proposals, including the Full-Time Reserve, to be considered by the board. I look forward to hearing the board's views, in conjunction with the chief constable's assessment, before final decisions are made.
I understand the effect of uncertainty on officers and their families. I hope that it will be possible to reach conclusions on this issue shortly. In the meantime, the contracts of Full-Time Reserve officers will continue to be renewed.