To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the annual change in the cost to the public purse of the 2006 changes to the national police pension scheme; and if she will make a statement. (229488)

The new police pension scheme, under which police officers can build up maximum benefits over 35 years instead of 30 years, was introduced in April 2006 and applies to all new entrants since that point. The savings for 2008-09 as a result of that change are estimated to be 0.8 per cent. of pensionable pay, and 6.9 per cent. in the long term. Based on the current pensionable pay bill these savings equate to around £45 million and £390 million a year respectively.