HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1480-1W
Mr. Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours were lost in each year since 1997 owing to illness of police officers in Wales. [44044]

Mr. John Denham

Information held centrally by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary records the number of days lost due to sickness. This is shown in the table.

96–97 97–98 98–99 99–2000 2000–01
Number of police officer days in Wales lost due to sickness absence 79,343 87,191 90,357 89,811 97,037

The Home Office is currently developing the Occupational health status "Strategy for a Healthy Police Service", in consultation with the police service, which is intended to help bring about substantial reductions in police sickness and in sickness absence.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the Wandsworth policing division on 1 April; and how many there were on 1 April(a) 2001 and (b) 2000. [50875]

Mr. John Denham

Information about strength in territorial divisions is not collected.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his definition is of a front line police officer. [43688]

Mr. John Denham

The only definition of an operational (frontline) officer which currently exists is that in the Report of the Working Group on the Classification of Police Service Personnel in September 1999 which was commissioned by the then Home Secretary (Mr. Straw). It describes such an officer as any officer, including covert officers, whose primary role (i.e., over 50 per cent. of the time) is directly to deliver the overarching aims of the police service.

This definition however is insufficient for the purposes of determining who should benefit under the special priority posts scheme which forms part of the package of reforms agreed in the Police Negotiating Board on 9 May.

Under the special priority posts scheme, forces will be able to target extra rewards on those working at the sharp end of public service, doing the most difficult and dangerous jobs. We are currently discussing with the Police Service how those to benefit should be identified. It will be for chief officers and police authorities to draw up local schemes, taking account of national criteria and any guidance issued by the Home Secretary. They will also have to consult local staff associations.

Posts may qualify for the payments where they: —carry a significantly higher level of responsibility than the norm for the rank; —present particular difficulties in recruitment and retention; or —have specially demanding working conditions or working environments.

Payments from the scheme will normally be not less than £500 and not more than £3,000 a year, although exceptionally payments of up to £5,000 may be made.