Police Recruitment (Hansard, 18 December 2000)

§ Mr. Charles Clarke

[holding answer 15 December, 2000]: In order to improve retention of police officers we have: encouraged police authorities to ensure that officers are retired on grounds of ill-health only where they satisfy the requirements as to permanent disablement for police duties set out in the Police Pensions Regulations; been considering whether changes to those Regulations are required and we will be consulting the police service about the precise terms of revised Regulations shortly; set a target of 2 per cent. for reducing sickness absence in police forces in England and Wales as poor management of sickness absence may be a precursor to unnecessary medical retirement. In 1996–97 the average number of days sickness per police officer was 12.80. This declined to 11.55, or by 1.25 days per officer by 1999–2000.

In order to improve recruitment of police officers we have: established the Crime Fighting Fund to enable forces to recruit 9,000 officers over and above the number they had previously planned in the three years 2000–01 to 2002–03; launched the first ever national recruitment advertising campaign.

In order to improve both retention and recruitment my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary agreed to increase from 1 July 2000, by £3,327 per annum, London Allowance for officers in the Metropolitan police service and City of London police who joined on or after 1 September 1994 and receive no housing allowance.

The Police Negotiating Board is currently looking at whether there should be an allowance for officers in any other forces, and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary awaits any recommendations it may make on this or any other issues in relation to police pay and allowances.

Wastage rates from the police service are very low—4.8 per cent. of total strength in 1998–99, 4.7 per cent. in 1999–2000 and 2.3 per cent. for the six months to 30 September 2000. Police recruitment is rising. In the six months to 30 September 2000, for the first time since March 1997, the number of officers recruited into the service exceeded those leaving it.