HC Deb 23 July 2002 vol 389 cc1046-7W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 February 2001,Official Report, column 299W, on police retention, what proportion of police officers retired from each force in each year since 1997 (a) on medical grounds (b) at normal retirement age and (c) on other grounds: and what the net change was as a proportion of each force in each year since 1997. [38032]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 27 February 2002]: The figures given in the answer of 12 February 2001, were those collected by the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS) and published as Police Personnel Statistics. For the purpose of these statistics, wastage is collected on a headcount basis (ie the number of persons) in the following categories: retirements, resignations and other. The statistics do not distinguish between medical and other retirements.

In addition to the information collected by RDS, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) collects information annually about wastage from the police service broken down into the following categories:

Dismissals from force (including requirements to resign)

  • Voluntary resignations
  • Medical retirements
  • Ordinary retirements
  • Transfers from force
  • Deaths

Forces are asked to provide these figures on a full-time equivalent basis, not on a headcount basis. HMIC's information has been used to provide the figures in a table for the numbers and proportion of medical and ordinary retirements and other leavers (excluding transfers), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Information for 2001–02 will not be available until later in the year.

As the statistics collected by HMIC are gathered on a different basis from those collected twice a year by RDS, information from the two sources cannot be reconciled directly. We are aware of the inconsistent basis between the two sets of figures and established a task force to consider these issues. The task force report was issued for consultation on 18 December 2001. The report of the task force proposes a comprehensive revision to the current requirements on police personnel statistics. Following consultation with the police service we will implement the necessary changes from September 2002.

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