HC Deb 22 July 2002 vol 389 cc857-8W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to encourage former officers to rejoin the police service; and

£000
1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02
Budgeted provision1 Actual expenditure Budgeted provision1 Actual expenditure Budgeted provision1,2
Reducing burglary 13,800 2,067 19,830 9,137 20,185
Locks for the over-60s 0 0 5,150 927 5,530
Summer schemes 0 0 1,500 1,890 2,058
Prostitution—what works 0 0 500 42 1,049
Targeted policing 6,000 509 12,450 9,696 21,880
'On Track'3 500 169 12,500 4,943 2,819
Innovation fund4 0 0 9,000 0 0
Vehicle crime publicity 0 0 8,000 8,000 0
Treatment of offenders 5,300 2,298 8,000 7,732 7,411
Drug arrest referrals 2,000 306 9,000 8,941 10,874
Schools intervention 4,000 205 6,000 6,832 5,438
Violence against women 0 90 5,000 2,007 10,880
Vehicle crime 0 0 4,000 505 3,883
Youth inclusion 0 0 2,750 2,750 5,870
Sentencing practices 675 332 575 866 4,565
Neighbourhood wardens 0 0 1,500 922 4,047
Design against crime 500 589 1,500 551 1,138
Arson control forum 0 0 165 118 0
Offenders index 75 75 75 266 0
Suzy Lamplugh Trust 0 0 205 205 295
Rape Crisis Federation 0 0 0 0 838
CCTV initiative5 20,000 5 60,000 23,460 150,841
Total6 52,850 6,645 167,700 89,790 259,601
1 The voted provision for 1999–2000 and 2000–01—as published in the Home Office annual report for 2000—was £60 million and £160 million respectively. The budgeted provision figures for these years in the table above differ from those in that report because they reflect updated profiles of planned expenditure. The figures for 200–102 take into account the effects of the SR 2000 Settlement.
2 Shows the amounts required to roll out the remaining projects under these initiatives. Some of this expenditure will be incurred in 2002–03.
3 Balance of funding transferred to DfEE for completion of programme.
4 Funding reallocated to other projects.
5 Provision comes from the Capital Modemisation Fund. Includes £4.6 million for CCTV in police vehicles.
6 The total figure excludes central and regional programme support costs, which are not allocated to particular initiatives.

if applications from such people will be treated in the same way as those from (a) new recruits and (b) officers seeking a transfer from another force. [45874]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 25 March 2002]: The Home Office issues guidelines on recruitment which do not distinguish between new applicants and those seeking to rejoin the police service. Once appointed, depending on individual circumstances, officers rejoining may not be required to complete the full period of probation or to undertake the initial training programme.

The Home Office does not issue guidance to forces about applications from transferees.

The range of measures we have taken to improve recruitment and retention generally, and the reform we are implementing may encourage former offices to consider rejoining.