HC Deb 19 April 2004 vol 420 cc325-6W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what age police officers are able to retire on a full pension; and if he will make a statement. [165478]

Ms Blears

Under the current Police Pension Scheme officers may build up a maximum pension after 30 years' service. This means that an officer who joined the police service at age 18½—the earliest age at which it is possible to start as a police officer—could be entitled to retire at age 48½ with a full pension.

The Government are considering options for the modernisation of police pensions to make them more flexible and affordable for future entrants. We have concluded a UK-wide consultation exercise on proposals for a new police pension scheme, to be introduced by April 2006, and are considering the responses. Key features of the proposed scheme for new entrants are a maximum pension after 35 years and a minimum pension age of 55.

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