§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the hourly rate of overtime for the various ranks of the Metropolitan police.
Table of overtime rates with effect from 1 September 1986 Rank Annual basic pay Overtime rale per hour Time + one third Time + half Double time £ £ £ £ Constable 7,752 4.953 5.572 7.430 8,289 5.296 5.958 7.944 9,756 6.233 7.013 9.350 9.987 6.381 7.179 9.572 10,317 6.592 7.416 9.888 10,671 6.818 7.670 10.227 11,013 7.037 7.916 10.555 11,355 7.255 8.162 10.883 11,691 7.470 8.404 11.205 12,372 7.905 8.893 11.858 12,936 8.265 9.299 12.398 Sergeant 12,372 7.905 8.893 11.858 12,936 8.265 9.299 12.398 13,389 8.555 9.624 12.832 13,836 8.840 9.945 13.261 14,193 9.069 10.202 13.603 Inspector 14,958 9.557 10.752 14.336 15,375 9.824 11.052 14.736 15,918 10.171 11.442 15.256 16,407 10.483 11.794 15.725 16,887 10.790 12.139 16.185 Chief Inspector 16,887 10.790 12.139 16.185 17,304 11.056 12.438 16.585 17,748 11.340 12.758 17.010 18,222 11.643 13.098 17.465 18,693 11.944 13.437 17.916
§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of hours overtime worked in the Metropolitan police in each year since 1979; and what is the average annual income of Metropolitan police officers from overtime.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggInformation about the number of hours of paid overtime worked each year since 1978–79 is set out in the table. The average income of Metropolitan police officers of ranks eligible for overtime from overtime payments in the financial year 1985–86 was £1,913.
316W
Hours of overtime worked by officers of the Metropolitan Police, 1979–80 to 1985–86 Financial year Hours 1979–80 8,696,026 1980–81 6,939,249
§ Mr. Douglas HoggUnder the Police Regulations 1979, police officers of ranks up to and including chief inspector are eligible for overtime. Officers may elect to be paid for the overtime which they work or to take time off in lieu. Pay for duty performed on a rostered rest day cancelled at less than 29 days' notice is at a rate of basic pay plus a half; pay for duty performed on a public holiday is at twice basic pay; and paid overtime worked at any other time is reimbursed at basic pay plus a third. The current hourly rates of police overtime are set out in the table.
Financial year Hours 1981–82 8,421,719 1982–83 7,144,110 1983–84 7,673,945 1984–85 9,849,618 1(7,462,642) 1985–86 6,509,242 1 The figure in parenthesis excludes the mutual aid provided to other forces as a result of the NUM dispute.
§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of possible financial savings which could be obtained by civilianising police posts; what results he expects from extra police officers being recruited; and how will they be monitored.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend's announcement on 20 May of decisions on police manpower followed a review of the needs for additional police officers which 317W took into account the scope for civilianisation. That review showed that additional civilian staff should enable at least 650 police officers in provincial forces to be released for operational duties through civilianisation over the next few years, together with 400 in the Metropolitan police.
The recruitment of additional civilian staff to replace police officers carrying out duties which do not require the powers and training of a police officer is a cost-effective way of increasing the number of officers available for operational duty.
It does not normally lead to financial savings.
The results expected from the recruitment of additional police officers will depend on the specific purposes for which they are used. We expect to see an increase in the number of officers on patrol, in crime prevention initiatives such as neighbourhood watch, and on other priority demands. The Department will be keeping in touch with provincial forces, through Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, and with the Metropolitan police to monitor the results achieved.
§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his Department's objections to having Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary scrutinise the Metropolitan police.
§ Mr. HurdAs explained in the Government's response (Cmnd. 9917) to the 45th report of the Public Accounts Committee on the financial control and accountability of the Metropolitan police, we regard it as essential to maintain the direct relationship between the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. We have accepted the recommendation of the Committee that the present arrangements for inspecting the Metropolitan police should be reviewed, and have set up a working party to report on this.