Today I am publishing a report which summarises the responses to the public consultation exercise on the review of police injury benefits. A full account of the individual responses is attached as an annex to the report.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Mr. McNulty), the then Minister of State for Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing, issued a consultation document in August 2008, “Review of Police Injury Benefits - Government Proposals”. The aim of the review has been to ensure that the financial support currently given to police officers and their families for injury or death in the line of duty meets modern requirements, is properly targeted and is efficiently administered.

The consultation exercise invited comments on 51 proposals, and closed on 18 November 2008. In total, 41 responses were received, including 30 from police forces, police authorities and police staff associations. I am grateful to all those who took the time to send in their comments. Overall the responses demonstrate a high level of support for the majority of changes proposed. Some of the 51 proposals, such as the proposal to extend survivor pensions to the nominated unmarried partners of officers killed in the line of duty, received strong support from all respondents. A number of proposals received comments which, while supportive, require further work to be done on the detail to ensure that we achieve our intended objectives.

Although the public consultation has been completed, five proposals will be the subject of further consultation with the police staff associations and other representatives on the Police Negotiating Board, in order to ensure that their implementation would not undermine the reassurance that officers are entitled to expect when they are exposed to danger in the course of confrontational and other operational duties, and also in order to discuss practical ways in which to improve the safety of officers while on journeys to and from their place of work.

I intend any amendments to the present Injury Benefit regulations to be in place by the end of this year but this timetable is subject to the further consultation with the Police Negotiating Board and agreement on a complete package of changes that meets the aim of the review. The changes would apply to officers serving on or after the date they come into force, and would not apply retrospectively to those who have ceased to serve by that date.

I am placing a copy of the report, “Review of Police Injury Benefits - Summary and Analysis of Consultation Responses”, in the Library of the House.