HC Deb 02 February 1999 vol 324 cc547-9W
Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have resigned from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68496]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the numbers of officers who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last ten years, were:

Year Number
1989 605
1990 471
1991 246
1992 132
1993 139
1994 146
1995 171
1996 183
1997 223
1998 327

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average age of police officers in the Metropolitan Police; and what has been the average age in each of the last 10 years. [68498]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the average age of police officers in the Metropolitan Police is 37 years and 3 months. The average age of Metropolitan Police officers in each year since 1993 was:

Year Average age
1993 35 years 2 months
1994 35 years 7 months
1995 35 years 5 months
1996 36 years 5 months
1997 36 years 2 months
1998 38 years 4 months

Information for previous years is not readily available.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police have more than(a) 25 years' service and (b) 30 years' service. [68492]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that there are 3,359 officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police who have more than 25 years' service and that 1,074 officers have more than 30 years' service.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for early retirement on health grounds made by police officers in the Metropolitan Police were(a) approved and (b) refused in each of the last 10 years; [68493]

(2) how many police officers retired on health grounds from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68495]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the Metropolitan Police do not keep aggregated records of refusals of applications to retire on the grounds of ill health. Once approval is given to retire on medical grounds, the officer must retire within six weeks. The number of applications by officers to retire on medical grounds which have been approved in each of the past ten years were:

Year Number
1989 300
1990 224
1991 275
1992 312
1993 342
1994 380
1995 433
1996 431
1997 412
1998 549

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police have ill-health retirement applications outstanding; and how many such officers are(a) on full pay, (b) on half pay and (c) on no pay. [68494]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that, at the end of November 1998, applications from 55 officers to retire on the grounds of ill health were outstanding. Of these officers, 44 were on full pay, seven on half-pay and four off pay.

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers(a) applied for transfer and (b) were transferred from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68497]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that records for officers applying for transfers are not kept centrally. The numbers of officers who transferred to other forces over the last ten years were:

Year Number
1989 249
1990 239
1991 198
1992 233
1993 179
1994 190
1995 180
1996 255
1997 285
1998 236

Mr. Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of service of police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police; and what was the average length of service in each of the last 10 years. [68499]

Mr. Boateng

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the average length of service of police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police is 14 years and 4 months, and that the average length of service in each year from 1991 was:

Year Average length of service
1991 12 years 8 months
1992 12 years
1993 12 years 6 months
1994 12 years 10 months
1995 13 years 6 months
1996 13 years 8 months
1997 13 years 9 months
1998 13 years 8 months

Information as to earlier years is not readily available.

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