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Police Officers (Casualties On Duty)

Volume 995: debated on Tuesday 5 February 1980

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asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been killed outright or fatally injured in the course of their duty so far in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been forced to retire from the police force as a result of injuries sustained in the course of their duty so far in 1980; and what was the compensation paid to each police officer sustaining such injuries.

I regret that this information is not available centrally: these matters are within the responsibilities of individual police authorities, subject to the provisions of the police pensions regulations.The regulations entitle an officer who has to retire as a result of injury on duty to an ill-health pension and a gratuity. He is also entitled to an injury pension based on a minimum income guarantee under which, taking into account three quarters of his ill-health pension, and certain social security benefits, he receives not less than a specified proportion of his pensionable pay before he retired.This proportion rises to 85 per cent. in cases of very severe disablement—that is, where the loss of earning capacity is more than 75 per cent. He may also qualify for an award under the criminal injuries compensation scheme which would take account of the police pension benefits payable.