HC Deb 14 March 2000 vol 346 cc157-9W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many early leavers there were from the police pension scheme in each police authority area in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; [114456]

(2) how many early leavers there were from the Police Pension Scheme in each police authority area between 30 September 1998 and 30 September 1999. [114455]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The Police Pension Scheme is administered locally by individual police authorities. Information about those who opt out of the Police Pension Scheme is not held centrally.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of police pensions in payment in each police authority area in(a) 1989, (b) 1997 and (c) 1999; [114459]

(2) what was the number of deferred members of the police pension fund in each police authority area in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [114460]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The Police Pension Scheme is administered locally by individual police authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in each police authority area were eligible to be members of the police pension fund in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [114462]

Mr. Charles Clarke

All regular police officers in the United Kingdom are eligible to be members of the Police Pension Scheme. Membership is automatic unless officers exercise their right to opt out of the Scheme. There are, however, some restrictions on eligibility to rejoin the Scheme after a decision to opt out.

Information on the total number of police officers in each force in 1997, 1998 and 1999 is set out in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Total police officer strength including secondments within the police service in England and Wales
Police force March 1997 March 1998 March 1999
Avon and Somerset 3,045 3,033 3,010
Bedfordshire 1,113 1,098 1,050
Cambridgeshire 1,322 1,309 1,282
Cheshire 2,087 2,083 2,084
Cleveland 1,480 1,510 1,450
Cumbria 1,164 1,186 1,132
Derbyshire 1,824 1,802 1,768
Devon and Cornwall 2,908 3,006 2,904
Dorset 1,306 1,331 1,287
Durham 1,489 1,543 1,577
Essex 2,996 2,962 2,898
Gloucestershire 1,153 1,124 1,106
Greater Manchester 7,031 7,070 6,836
Hampshire 3,504 3,535 3,514
Hertfordshire 1,793 1,740 1,732
Humberside 2,071 2,045 1,980
Kent 3,310 3,294 3,246
Lancashire 3,309 3,328 3,257
Leicestershire 1,991 2,025 2,006
Lincolnshire 1,218 1,211 1,146
London, City of (2) 883 846 787
Merseyside 4,332 4,311 4,229
Metropolitan police (1,2) 27,123 26,561 26,133
Norfolk 1,455 1,446 1,384
Northamptonshire 1,199 1,191 1,146
Northumbria 3,732 3,821 3,853
North Yorkshire 1,367 1,396 1,345
Nottinghamshire 2,358 2,355 2,234
South Yorkshire 3,202 3,231 3,215
Staffordshire 2,249 2,326 2,272
Suffolk 1,199 1,206 1,192
Surrey 1,643 1,626 1,667
Sussex 3,140 3,046 2,867
Thames Valley 3,762 3,838 3,768
Warwickshire 951 947 921
West Mercia 2,073 2,046 2,036
West Midlands 7,217 7,245 7,352
West Yorkshire 5,283 5,226 4,996
Wiltshire 1,178 1,184 1,156
Dyfed-Powys 1,016 1,012 1,034
Gwent 1,261 1,249 1,259
North Wales 1,397 1,420 1,416
South Wales 3,030 3.053 2,994
Total of all 43 forces 127,158 126,814 124,520
NCS 1,333
NCIS 243
Total 127,158 126,814 126,096

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of active members of the police pension fund in each police authority area in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [114461]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The Police Pension Scheme is administered locally by individual police authorities and the information requested is not held centrally. However, as the vast majority of regular police officers choose to be members of the Police Pension Scheme the number of active members of the Scheme in each force will be slightly less than its total number of officers.