Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 7 February (HL5017), whether they have made a specific assessment of the impact of the leadership training provided to all senior police officers by the College of Policing over the past decade; if so, whether that assessment concluded that the training had (1) been successful, and (2) delivered public confidence in the senior ranks of the police; and if they have made no such assessment, whether they will undertake one.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring strong leadership at all levels in policing and is driving forward improvements to ensure consistent and high standards in leadership training.
I am pleased to say that the College of Policing has recently completed a full independent review of progression and development to chief officer ranks (2022) and has developed proposals for fundamental change to the current system, which are currently being implemented. This, alongside the National Centre for Police Leadership, has introduced a focus on developing all officers as leaders alongside faster time work to ensure that current chief officer vacancies can be filled. The College has a clear plan for a complete reform of senior leadership development, to improve standards and leadership at all levels in policing.
This work will implement a nationally consistent approach to police leadership for the first time, following previous work by the College and Chief Constables to address issues and concerns identified across various reviews. These include: Front Line Review (2018), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) reports including a leadership thematic in 2019, and the College of Policing Leadership Review (2015). In particular, HMICFRS’ ‘Leading Lights’ Report found that a lack of consistency, fairness and transparency is having a detrimental effect on police forces’ ability to identify and support those with the most potential to become chief officers. The Fundamental Review of the College of Policing (2022) established improving leadership in policing as one of the College’s three key priorities and a new National Centre for Police Leadership is being created.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the quality of leadership in the police service, especially at senior ranks.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government has been clear that strong leadership at all ranks is essential to ensure a positive culture and rigorous standards in policing. Failures of integrity within policing impact on public confidence and recent revelations rightly raise questions about the quality and standards of leadership in the police. We will continue pushing for improvements in standards, expectations, and outcomes for policing, but the drive must also come from within forces.
We have invested £3.35m from 2021 to 2023 for the College of Policing to create a National Leadership Centre. As part of this, the College is now in the process of setting and rolling out national leadership standards at key levels in the police service and providing leadership development programmes aligned to these standards.
We also welcome the College’s proposals for fundamental change to the current system of chief officer selection and development, following a full independent review. These measures are currently being implemented and will increase transparency and open up access to senior level development.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 22 December 2022 (HL4321), why the leadership training of senior police officers is delivered by the College of Policing and no longer at the Police Staff College.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The College of Policing was established in 2012 as the professional body for policing, to set and improve standards for excellence, including recruitment, leadership, professional development and assessment. The College succeeded the organisations that had previously had responsibility for these functions, including the National Policing Improvement Agency, which had previously incorporated the Police Staff College.
The College has prioritised improvements to leadership training as part of its National Centre for Police Leadership. This includes setting standards for all levels of leadership and providing a host of guidance, resources and training to support development for everyone in policing. The College also supports the progression of officers for senior leadership roles through providing ongoing development and access to executive coaching and mentoring.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 2 November (HL Deb, col 232) concerning policing and the possible reestablishment of Staff College, when they will respond to that question.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The College of Policing was set up in 2012 to set and improve standards for excellence in policing, including recruitment, leadership, professional development and assessment.
The College’s role is clear: setting high professional standards sharing what works best; acting as the national voice of policing; and ensuring professional development and police leadership are of the highest quality and that they uphold the highest ethics.
There are no plans to re-establish the old Police Staff College.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 October (HL2344), what assessment they have made of the impact specifically on the British tourism and airline industries of the ban on air flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Transport conducts expert assessments on aviation security at overseas airports. We do not assess the impact on the tourism and airline industries of any restrictions on flights.
Following the crash of Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 in October 2015, FCO travel advice was changed to advise against all but essential travel by air between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh. We fully recognise that Egypt is an important partner for the UK and tourism to Sharm delivers a sizeable contribution to Egypt’s economy. UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt's close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained. We recognise that UK carriers previously found the route commercially attractive, though this does not necessarily mean that this will, at least initially, be the case once flights are able to return.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the British tourism and airline industries of the ban on air flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt's close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average cost of a police constable with four years service in (1) the Metropolitan Police Service, (2) a police force in the Home Counties, and (3) a police force elsewhere in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Home Office has calculated the total salary costs of constables on the pay scale in place since April 2013. These include the employers’ portion of National Insurance and pension contributions and the London Weighting payment where applicable. At pay point 4, which typically approximates to four years service, the cost would be £36,900 in London and £33,700 in other forces.
Police officers may receive other allowances and overtime which are not captured in these costs. These include London and South East Allowances which may be paid annually to officers in London and some South East forces at a level set by the relevant chief officer, to meet recruitment and retention needs. These allowances are capped at the following levels: In London, at a maximum of £4,338 per officer; in Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Sussex at a maximum of £1,000 per officer; and in Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and Thames Valley at a maximum of £2,000 per officer.
Four years’ service may not be equivalent to being at pay point four. The general expectation is that officers will progress up the scale by one pay point every 12 months subject to satisfactory performance, but there may be variations to this. A constable with four years service is likely to fall between pay point three and pay point five. These are shown in the table below:
| Salary costs (rounded to the nearest £100) | |
Pay point | London (includes a London Weighting payment at £2,349 per officer) | All other forces (including forces in the South East) |
0 | 28,600 | 25,400 |
1 | 32,700 | 29,600 |
2 | 34,100 | 30,900 |
3 | 35,500 | 32,300 |
4 | 36,900 | 33,700 |
5 | 39,700 | 36,500 |
6 | 45,300 | 42,100 |
7 | 52,900 | 49,800 |
Notes:
(1) The employers’ portion of pension contributions has been calculated at a rate of 21.3%.
(2) The employers’ portion of National Insurance contributions has been calculated at a rate of 13.8% on earnings above the secondary threshold. NI employer contribution has been calculated using the new contribution due to the Single Tier Pension (Introduced in April 2016).
(3) London Weighting is a pensionable payment, and applies to all officers working in London forces.
(4) An officer may be appointed at pay point 1 rather than pay point 0 if they possess a Policing Qualification or relevant experience. An officer appointed at pay point 0 will move to pay point 1 on completion of initial training.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a Community Land Trust under the proposed Right to Buy scheme is required to sell one of the houses it owns if it is unable to provide an alternative from (1) its existing stock, (2) its newly built stock, (3) the stock it will build in the future or (4) the stock of another housing association.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Under the voluntary agreemment with the National Housing Federation, there would be a presumption that housing associations would sell the tenant the property in which they live, but there would be some broad circumstances where a housing association could exercise discretion to decline a sale. These circumstances include properties held in the Communities Land Trust.
Asked by: Lord Dear (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to introduce a programme to recruit specially selected constables with the intention that they receive fast-track promotion to Inspector rank, as recommended in the <i>Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions: Final Report</i> published in 2012.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
The College of Policing has already begun implementing the fast track to inspector scheme, along with direct entry at superintendent rank, as
recommended in the final report of the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions. Police forces have started to recruit external candidates to be appointed in September. Serving officers will be able to apply for the schemes later this year.These schemes will offer the opportunity to widen the talent pool and the diverse range of backgrounds from which we attract police officers.