§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he plans to the regulations to manage attendance in the police service. [44028]
§ Mr. DenhamOn 9 May 2002, the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreed a package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service. The PNB is the statutory negotiating body for police pay and conditions throughout the United Kingdom.
As part of a package of reforms, the Police Advisory Board in England and Wales will, during 2002, come to an arrangement through amendments to Police Efficiency Regulations where the aim is to secure improvement in attendance, with sanctions (including the possibility of dismissal) where that fails. The arrangement will include an appropriate appeals mechanism.
It is for Scottish Ministers to make changes to regulations governing conditions of service in Scottish police forces. Scotland has its own Police Advisory Board.
The changes to regulations form part of a range of measures to improve and modernise police pay and conditions of service. The package agreed on 9 May 2002 will provide a modernised pay structure rewarding those at the sharp end and reducing reliance on overtime. In so doing, it both underpins the rest of the police reform programme and demonstrates the Government's commitment to invest in the police service to achieve the reforms needed and to give it the support and flexibility it requires to deliver a first-class service to the public.