§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the basis is of the policy not to include members of the full-time police reserve in Northern Ireland in a pension scheme for service prior to 1988; [83121]
(2) if he will take steps to ensure that service by members of the full-time police reserve in Northern Ireland prior to 1988 is included as years of service for the police pension scheme; [83122]
(3) if he will grant full rights of access to the police pension scheme to all serving and former full-time police reserve officers in Northern Ireland. [84514]
§ Jane KennedyThe decision to extend the police pension scheme to the full-time reserve was taken after detailed consideration and extensive consultation.
The resultant policy led to the introduction of legislation in 1994, and this generously included recompense for prior denial to the police pension scheme, including six years free service credit for 1988–1994 and non-reclamation of SERFS benefits for that period.
53WTreasury advocated backdating credit in full to all members of the full-time reserve both former and present for service rendered prior to the 6 April 1988, as this is the date from which Social Security legislation reduced the threshold for preservation of pensions on leaving employment from five years to two years
These arrangements were unsuccessfully challenged by way of judicial review and petition to the House of Lords. Significantly, in the judicial review judgement from the Court of Appeal in 1997, the decision to backdate at all was considered very much an act of grace on the part of the Secretary of State. All aspects were given full and detailed consideration at that time, and there are no plans for a further review.
§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the full-time police reserve in Northern Ireland have been denied access to the police pension scheme because their service took place before 1988. [83123]
§ Jane KennedyThe information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DonaldsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the successful candidates chosen after the recent competition for Chief Inspector posts in the Police Service of Northern Ireland have turned down two or more offers of postings. [84139]
§ Jane KennedyNo successful candidates turned down two or more offers of postings.