Policy Pay (Hansard, 16 March 2001)

§ Mr. Charles Clarke

[holding answer 14 March 2001]: The Survey of Pay, Hours and Length of Service, conducted annually by statisticians from the Office of Manpower Economics for the Police Negotiating Board (PNB), provides figures on the average earnings of police constables, including pay, allowances and overtime. The November 1997 survey showed that the average earnings of a police constable in the United Kingdom were £516.28 per week (or £26,933 per annum). The most recent data available are from the PNB survey undertaken in November 1999 and this showed that the average earnings of a police constable were £550.03 per week (equivalent to £28,693 per annum).

The PNB makes recommendations to the Home Secretary on all matters concerning police pay and allowances. Police pay is increased every September through a pay award based on the median percentage of the Manpower Index for non-manual workers, a formula introduced in 1994. In 1996 and 1997 the increase was 3.5 per cent; in 1998, 4.0 per cent; in 1999, 3.6 per cent. and in 2000, 3.0 per cent. The pay scale for constables at 1 April 1997, the current pay scale and the percentage increases are detailed in the table (the length of the pay scale was reduced in September 1997).

	Annual salary (£) from:
Pay point	1 September 1996	1 September 2000	Percentage pay increase
Constable:
On commencing service
1	14,916	17,133	14.86
2	16,197	19,170	18.36
On completion of initial training
3	17,295	20,304	17.40
On completion of two years" satisfactory service
4	17,679	20,841	17.89
5	18,147	21,567	18.85
6	18,777	22,257	18.53
7	19,380	22,983	18.59
8	20,013	23,649	18.17
9	20,589	24,246	17.76
10	21,111	25,035	18.59
11	21,795	25,953	19.08
12	22,593	27,114	20.01
13	23,607	—	—