RESOURCES DIRECTORATE
Corporate Support and Information Services - Data Protection
Police Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB

Tel: 01772 413327 Fax: 01772 412123 Email: [Lancashire Constabulary request email]


Ms N. McCall

Via WhatDoTheyKnow.com

By Email: [FOI #6893 email] 27^th February 2009

Dear Ms McCalll

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPLICATION REFERENCE NO: 1558/09

Thank you for your request for information received by Lancashire Constabulary on the 30^th January 2009, which can be found below:-

I am requesting certain documents that you may have detailing force policy and procedure in the management and review of police injury award pensions prior to the year 2004. To help you in your search and to direct my enquiry as clearly as possible I am quoting below a paragraph from Home Office Circular 46/2004, Annex C:

This Guidance is being issued to help ensure a fairer, more cohesive approach to the payment of injury benefits to ill-health retired officers who have reached the compulsory retirement age with their Force. A recent survey found that practice in this area was diverse. Some forces automatically reduced degree of disablement benefits to the lowest banding when this age had been reached - others continued to pay benefits at the same rate until the death of the Officer concerned.

The above quote identifies two categories of forces - A) one group that automatically reduced degree of disablement benefits to the lowest banding when compulsory retirement age had been reached and a second group B) that continued to pay benefits at the same rate until the death of the Officer concerned.

I am attempting to identify and obtain a copy of documents that show which category ( A or B) your force would have been included in prior to receipt of HOC 46/2004. It may be that your response would be sufficient if you simply tell me which group your force was in, but if there was a written policy or procedural document setting out details, then I should like a copy.

Your request for information has now been considered and following consultation with the Constabulary's Human Resources Department and the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Unit it has been confirmed that no specific policy or procedural documents are held which are relevant to your request. However, in order to assist your research in this area, I understand that the position of the Constabulary would have fallen within Category B.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request an internal review of our decision, you should write to the Data Protection and Information Officer, Corporate Support and Information Services - Data Protection, Police Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB or alternatively send an email to [Lancashire Constabulary request email]. Details of the Constabulary's Freedom of Information Compliant Procedures can be found attached to this email.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the Information Commissioner's Office cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by Lancashire Constabulary. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Lancashire Constabulary.

Yours sincerely

Paul Walker

Freedom of Information Disclosure Officer