§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of police funding was spent on police pensions in each of the last 20 years; and what amounts these figures represent. [101246]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information is set out in the following table.
Year Net expenditure (£million) Net Pension expenditure (£ million) Net Pension expenditure proportion of police net expenditure in England and Wales (Percentage) 1983–84 2,505.0 135.5 5.4 1984–85 2,460.3 176.5 7.2 1985–86 2,768.7 180.6 6.5 1986–87 3,097.1 223.5 7.2 1987–88 3,367.8 237.0 7.0 1988–89 3,710.8 253.7 .6.8 1989–90 4,145.1 292.1 7.0 1990–91 4,606.7 333.2 7.2 1991–92 5,209.8 399.9 7.7 1992–93 5,621.8 456.5 8.1 1993–94 5,904.1 536.8 9.1 1994–95 6,173.3 611.5 9.9 1995–96 6,309.1 678.2 10.7 1996–97 6,619.8 749.0 11.3 1997–98 6,870.1 874.9 12.7 1998–99 7,070.7 900.6 12.7 1999–2000 7,450.3 948.0 12.7 2000–01 7,771.0 998.4 12.8 2001–02 8,169.3 1,117.1 13.7 2002–03 8,423.6 1,189.9 14.1 Source:
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Police statistics 1983–84 to 2000–01 (Actuals) and 2001–02 to 2002–03 (Estimates).
§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the London borough of Havering in each month since September 2002. [101956]
§ Mr. DenhamInformation on the number of officers in each Basic Command Unit (BCU) is provided annually (31 March) by each police force to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Information on London borough strength is not centrally collected on a more frequent basis. The deployment of resources592W between the London borough divisions and the other specialist units of the Metropolitan Police Service is an operational matter for the Commissioner.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 2 December 2002, Official Report. column 589W, to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes), setting out police strength for each Basic Command Unit for each force in England and Wales, including Lou don boroughs at 31 March 2002.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2003,Official Report. column 2, on police pensions, what he estimates the cost to public funds would be of establishing a pay-as-you-go police pension scheme applying to new recruits only. [101926]
§ Mr. DenhamI understand that my hon. Friend means what we estimate the cost would be of establishing a funded pension scheme applying to new recruits only. As stated in the National Policing Plan we are considering options for modernising police pensions to make them more flexible and affordable for future entrants. As part of this reform, we will also seek to meet the needs of police authorities and chief officers for a scheme which brings greater certainty about the financial impact on individual police forces. Unlike in a pay-as-you go scheme, the employer pays contributions into a pension fund at the same time as the employee. The eventual pension is then paid out of the fund. In a pay-as-you go scheme the employer's costs are deferred until the pension comes into payment. The rate of employer's contributions in a funded police pension scheme for new entrants would depend mainly on the value of the pensions and other benefits provided, and the share borne by the officers. The immediate effect of introducing a funded scheme for new entrants, while keeping the existing scheme on a pay-as-you go basis, would be to increase costs. This is because the cost of paying employer contributions in respect of contributing members of a new funded scheme would be added to the continuing cost of paying the pension benefits of retired members of the current pay-as-you go scheme.
§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress made with the Home Office's National Recruitment Standards Project, with special reference to recruitment and retention of people with diabetes in the police service; and when the recommendations for the proposed new medical standards will be available for consultation. [102410]
§ Mr. DenhamThe National Recruitment Standards project has made progress on a number of key areas
Eligibility criteria and recruitment practices covering issues such as criminal convictions and qualifications were reviewed, agreed and put in place in October 2001.A national fitness test for police recruitment was put in place in April 2002. This is being reviewed at the end of its first year.The nationality bar on police recruitment was lifted on 1 February 2003. This removed an unnecessary barrier to recruitment and widened the recruitment pool.593WNew standards for eyesight have been agreed by the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales. The new standards which take account of our intention to extend the employment provisions of the Disability and Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) to the police service will be put in place on 1 April 2003.Research has been undertaken to develop new job-related medical standards. A draft report by QinetiQ will be subject to consultation with the police service between April and June. The views of UK Diabetes and other interested groups will inform the consultation. We aim to put new standards to the Police Advisory Board in late summer.A national application procedure has been developed with the police service. This includes a national application form and recruitment material designed to attract hard to reach groups. A police recruitment website has been developed to support the new procedures. The website will provide applicants with all the information they need about joining the police service and will enable them to apply on line.A national procedure for assessing and selecting new recruits has been piloted in five forces and trialled by three forces. These procedures will be introduced in all forces over the next year.