§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of police officers in Norfolk took voluntary early retirement in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the national average. [53576]
§ Mr. MichaelStatistics are not held in the specific form requested, but the number of voluntary resignations from Norfolk Constabulary in 1997–98 was 12, which was 14 per cent. of the total who ceased to serve in the force of that year. This compares with a total of 924 voluntary resignations from forces in England and Wales, also 14 per cent. of the total who ceased to serve in that year, and 712 or 14 per cent. from provincial forces in England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police). Voluntary resignations do not include early retirement with an ill-health pension, which is for management to determine.
§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many working hours were lost by the Norfolk Police due to sick leave in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the national average. [53575]
§ Mr. MichaelInformation on police sick leave is collected on the basis of days lost rather than hours. In 1997–98, 15,053 police days were lost through sickness in Norfolk Constabulary (4.6 per cent. of the total working days), compared with a national average in England and Wales of 37,084 police days (5.6 per cent.) and a provincial average (excluding the Metropolitan Police) of 28,573 police days (5.3 per cent.).
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