Police Injury Pensions Policy

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)

Thank you for your email received today in which you make a request for
information that Northumbria Police may hold.

We are in the process of dealing with your request and expect to revert to
you shortly. A response should be provided by 14/01/10.

Yours sincerely

Jan Mcewan

Information Compliance Unit

NORTHUMBRIA POLICE PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information contained in this message and any attachment(s) is confidential and intended only for the attention of the named organisation or individual to whom it is addressed. The message may contain information that is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. No mistake in transmission is intended to waive or compromise any such privilege. This message has been sent over public networks and the sender cannot be held responsible for its integrity.

If you are not the intended recipient be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken in reliance of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited, and is contrary to the provisions of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988 and of the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Any views expressed are those of the sender and, unless specifically stated, do not necessarily represent the view of Northumbria Police.

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If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by e-mail at once and delete the message immediately.

For more information about Northumbria Police please visit our website - http://www.northumbria.police.uk

Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')

Thank you for your email dated 11 December 2009 in which you made a request
for access to certain information which may be held by Northumbria Police.

As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of
access to information held by a Public Authority (including the Police),
subject to certain limitations and exemptions.

You asked:

I am seeking certain information related to police injury pensions.

1. Do you have a written policy governing the management and review of
police injury pensions? If you do, please provide me with a copy.

2. Since August 2004, to date, how many injury pensions have been reduced
when reviewed?

3. Since August 2004, to date, how many injury pensions have been increased
when reviewed?

4. Since August 2004, to date, how many injury pensions have been reduced
to the lowest band when the former officer in receipt of the pension
reached (or had already reached) the age of 65?

5. If your force has any document recording any analysis and/or
consideration of the guidance contained in Annex C to Home Office
circular 46/2004 please supply me with a copy.

6. If your force has any document recording any calculation and/or
projection of the potential budgetary savings and/or financial impact
that might result from adoption of the guidance contained in Annex C to
Home Office circular 46/2004 please supply me with a copy.

In response:

We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I
provide a response for your attention.

1. We do not have any policy governing the management and review of such
pensions, however we do have internal procedures which outline the
administrative functions undertaken when processing and managing injury
award applications and reviews. We also adhere to Home Office guidance
and Police Pension Regulations.
I gave supplied the internal procedure below.

(See attached file: Injury Award Procedure.doc)

2. In April 08 - April 09, 4 injury pensions were reduced at review and in
April 09 to date, 85 injury pensions were reduced. We do have a number
of appeals ongoing so this figure may change pending the outcome.
Unfortunately we do not have accurate figures dated before 1st April
2008. Information prior to April 2008 may be able to be obtained from
Gateshead MBC at the address below:-

Information Rights Officer
Northumbria Police Authority
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH

email:- [email address]

3. Since April 2008 there have been no injury pensions increased following
review. Again, information prior to April 2008 may be able to be
obtained from Gateshead MBC.

4. In April 2009, 75 injury award pensions were reduced to the lowest
banding in line with Home Office guidance 46/2004, information prior to
April 2008 may be able to be obtained from Gateshead MBC.

5-6. As the information requested in these parts of your request is
accessible by other means I have not provided you with a copy of the
information and will rely on Section 21 of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000. You should therefore consider this a refusal for your
request.

I have provided an explanation to this exemption below.

Section 21 (1) - Information accessible by other means

Information which is reasonably accessible to the applicant is exempt
information.

A Northumbria Police Authority Report entitled "Review Of Injury Pension
Awards" is available using the link provided below:-

http://online.gateshead.gov.uk/docushare...

The information we have supplied to you is likely to contain intellectual
property rights of Northumbria Police. Your use of the information must be
strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended) or such other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not
re-use this information for any commercial purpose.

How to complain

If you are unhappy with our decision or do not consider that we have
handled your request properly and we are unable to resolve this issue
informally, you are entitled to make a formal complaint to us under our
complaints procedure which is attached.

(See attached file: FOI Complaint Rights.doc)

If you are still unhappy after we have investigated your complaint and
reported to you the outcome, you may complain directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office and request that they investigate to ascertain
whether we have dealt with your request in accordance with the Act.

Yours sincerely

Michael Cleugh
Data Protection and Disclosure Advisor
Direct Dial: 01661 869389
NORTHUMBRIA POLICE PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information contained in this message and any attachment(s) is confidential and intended only for the attention of the named organisation or individual to whom it is addressed. The message may contain information that is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. No mistake in transmission is intended to waive or compromise any such privilege. This message has been sent over public networks and the sender cannot be held responsible for its integrity.

If you are not the intended recipient be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken in reliance of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited, and is contrary to the provisions of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988 and of the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Any views expressed are those of the sender and, unless specifically stated, do not necessarily represent the view of Northumbria Police.

We cannot accept any liability for any loss or damage sustained as a result of software viruses. It is your responsibility to carry out such virus checking as is necessary.

If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by e-mail at once and delete the message immediately.

For more information about Northumbria Police please visit our website - http://www.northumbria.police.uk