Written question asked by Andrew Mackinlay (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 November 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 November 2007. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 November 2007 on behalf of the Home Office.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what undertakings were given at the time of the formulation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to (a) serving and (b) former police officers or their representative body, the Public and Commercial Services Union, on the effect that SOCA would have on access to the police pension on attaining 30 years service or 50 years of age; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: [holding answer 20 November 2007]: At the time of the formulation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) it was stated that ex-police officers could retire from SOCA at whatever age their existing pension scheme allowed them to take their pension. Any decision to work beyond that point would be entirely optional and subject to mutual agreement between the individual and SOCA. Ex-police officers could retire from SOCA, take their lump sum and after a short break rejoin SOCA; but they would not be able to draw a full pension and a salary once they rejoined if this took them over their previous salary (i.e. abatement would apply). This was set out in SOCA Update Issue 13 and reiterated by the Director-General Designate at several road shows across the country.It should be noted that SOCA is not a police force; however, arrangements were put in place to ensure that any police officer joining SOCA on 1 April 2006 under the Transfers to SOCA Scheme 2006, having been previously directly recruited into the NCS/NCIS on or before 31 March 2006, retained their entitlement to police allowances and membership of the police pension scheme.

Secondary information