Police: Freemasonry

Dr. Tony Wright
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces keep a register of declarations of freemasonry membership; and whether such declarations are required by (a) police officers, (b) prison officers, (c) probation officers and (d) other staff on appointment.

Mr. McNulty
Voluntary arrangements for the declaration of freemasonry membership were established for the police service in 1999. There is no statutory basis for the registers which are held internally by forces. We do not monitor centrally which forces continue to administer such registers. All recruits to the prison service are required, after the selection decision and before appointment is confirmed, to declare whether they belong to the freemasons. There is no national policy requiring probation officers to declare freemasonry membership.