§ Dr. PughTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former police officers are receiving pensions from each police force; and what the annual cost will be in 2003–04. [151602]
§ Ms BlearsSpecific information relating to each police force about the number of former police officers with pensions is not held centrally. The total number of 807W police pensions in payment (including ill-health retirees and dependants) at 1 April 2003 was 106,739. The most recent estimate is that about three-quarters of these pensions in payment will be to former officers. The estimated total number of police pensions in payment at 31 March 2004 is 109,502.
The annual cost of police pensions in 2003–04 has not yet been determined. However, in total, forces in England and Wales estimate that their police pension bill for 2003–04 will be £1,234,675,000. As stated in the National Policing Plan 2002, we are exploring the options for a revised system of funding which would bring greater clarity about pensions obligations on individual police authorities.