§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in implementing the Patten Report's proposal to create an enlarged part-time police reserve. [180342]
§ Mr. PearsonImplementation of the Patten Report's proposal to create an enlarged part-time police reserve rests currently with both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board. The enabling legislation has been fully implemented.
A pilot recruitment exercise in four District Command Unit areas (Lisburn, Coleraine, Newtownabbey and Banbridge) has taken place.
On 17 October 2003, Denis Bradley, Vice Chairman of the Policing Board, issued a press release stating that all vacancies for part-time reserve officers in the four pilot districts would be filled. The first 10 officers from the pilot entered training in February 2004 and were attested on 5 March. However, the press release also announced the decision to evaluate the pilot recruitment exercise before a further recruitment exercise would take place to improve the process for subsequent rounds of recruitment. Following the outcome of the evaluation it will be a matter for the Policing Board and PSNI to decide the next phase of the recruitment of part-time reserve officers.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers have been recruited to the police part-time reserve in each of the last four years. [180343]
§ Mr. PearsonThe Police Service of Northern Ireland has provided the following information on the recruitment of part-time reserve officers in each of the last four years.
Number of part time reserve recruited 2001 — 2002 — 2003 — 2004 108
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers have(a) resigned and (b) retired from the police part-time reserve in each of the last four years. [180344]
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§ Mr. PearsonThe Police Service of Northern Ireland have provided the following information in respect of part-time reserve officers who have(a) resigned and (b) retired in each of the last four years.
Resigned Retired June to December 2000 25 23 January to December 2001 51 24 January to December 2002 46 23 January to December 2003 48 32 January to June 2004 23 18