§ Mr. Joplingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Police Constable Alexander Archibald of the Cumbria Police, who was seriously wounded whilst tackling a dangerous gunman, has been offered a pension of only £12; and if he will amend the regulations so as to provide more generous pensions in such cases.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsUnder the Police Pensions Regulations, Police Constable Archibald is entitled to a basic ill-health pension, after 9 years' service, of £149 a year. He has an additional entitlement to supplemental police pension based on years of service and degree of disablement; but this is reduced by the amount of Social Security benefits to which he is entitled. On present assessment the supplemental pension will not be payable because the Social Security benefits are greater. I understand that Constable Archibald has given notice under the Regulations of appeal against the assessment of degree of disability, and to that extent the matter is sub judice.
In addition to the police ill-health pension of £149, Constable Archibald would qualify, subject to satisfying the usual conditions, for social security benefits which might bring his income from public funds to about £835 a year. Not all of these benefits would continue if he were to take on other employment.
With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 13th November.—[Vol. 754, c. 48.]