HC Deb 27 February 1986 vol 92 cc657-8W
Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilians are employed in police control rooms in the Metropolitan area; what grades and rates of pay apply to those on operational duties; and what similar information he has for other police forces.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I understand that there are 51 civilians employed in Metropolitan police control rooms —31 clerical officers, 12 specialist teleprinter operators and eight wireless telegraphists. Their rates of pay are as follows:

Clerical Officer Junior scale £3,149 (age 16)—£4,371 (age 20) Main scale £4,800—£6,293

Specialist Teleprinter Operator Junior scale £3,274 (age 16)—£4,970 (age 21) Main scale £5,384—£7,077

Wireless Telegraphist £6,431—£8,018

Each grade receives in addition a 20 per cent. shift disturbance allowance and, where appropriate, London weighting allowance.

Comparable information for other police forces in England and Wales is not readily available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The employment of police civilians on particular duties is a matter for decision locally following consultations between the police authority, the chief officer of police and the staff associations. The pay and conditions of service of police civilians in these forces are negotiated in the national joint council for local authorities' administrative, professional, technical and clerical services, in which central Government have no locus.

Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of civilians employed in the Metropolitan police; if he will give a breakdown between main functions; and what similar information he has for other police forces.

Mr. Giles Shaw

On 31 December 1985 there were 12,680 full-time and 917 part-time members of the Metropolitan police civil staff. The civil staff who operate in support of the police encompass a wide range of disciplines, specialisms and skills. They include administrative, professional, technical, clerical and industrial staff.

On 31 December 1985 there were 23,457 full-time and 5,197 part-time civilian staff in police forces outside the Metropolitan police in England and Wales. The range of work on which they are employed is similar to that in the Metropolitan police.

Appendix 7 to the annual published report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary shows the numbers of full-time and part-time civilian staff in the categories clerical, technical and domestic, in each police force in England and Wales other than the Metropolitan police.