Police Scotland staff and pensions: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/02198
Date received: 27 September 2017
Date responded: 25 October 2017

Information requested

"Could you please provide me with the following information

• How many police and support staff did Scotland have in 2000 and 2017?

• In each of the years mentioned above, what proportion of total policing costs in Scotland was the Service contribution to the cost of police pensions?

• How many former policemen are in receipt of a police pension in 2017, and what is this figure expected to rise to in 2030 and 2040."

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

I. How many police and support staff did Scotland have in 2000 and 2017?

As at the 31 March 2000 there were 14,499 (headcount) officers and 5,466 (headcount) staff.

As at the 31 March 2017 there were 17,256 (FTE) officer and 5,276 (FTE) staff.

This information for police officers is published on the Scottish Government website http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PublicationPoliceStrength/POQS2017Q1

Scottish Police Authority publish police support staff numbers in their board papers. http://www.spa.police.uk/meetings-events/board-meetings/

The figures are not directly comparable between 2000 and 2017 as the method for counting officers and staff changed from a headcount figure to a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) figure. FTE figures are not available before 30 September 2003.

II. In each of the years mentioned above, what proportion of total policing costs in Scotland was the Service contribution to the cost of police pensions?

Scottish Government does not hold the requested information. In 2000 police funding was made through local authorities and the pension figures for 2017 will not be available until the SPA publishes its annual accounts for 2016/17. The annual accounts should be published later this year.

III. How many former policemen are in receipt of a police pension in 2017, and what is this figure expected to rise to in 2030 and 2040.

As at 1 January 2017 there were 13,880 police pensioners but we do not hold information on the future numbers of police pensioners. For information, you may wish to look at the Government Actuary's Department valuation (membership data) of the police pension schemes from 2012, link attached.

The next valuation will be on 2016 data will be published in 2019. http://www.sppa.gov.uk/Documents/Police/Police%20Useful%20Resources/Valuations/Police%20Scotland_2012%20valuation_data%20report_Final.pdf

About FOI

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