NICS Pension Scheme

Request Number: FOI/15432

Category: Organisational Information & Performance - Policies

Subject: NICS Pension Scheme

Request and Answer: 
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold some of the information to which your request relates. We do not however hold information in relation to Questions 4, 5, 7 and 8. We have also provided you with links to the guidance issued by the Information Commissioner's Office which we have followed in responding to your request. The decision has been taken to disclose the following.

Request
Under Freedom of Information, can I request answers to the following questions regarding interpretation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland of the NICS Pension Scheme concerning salary, allowances and overtime as pensionable emoluments:

Question 1
Do the PSNI accept that the NICSPS allows Departments to consider counting certain elements of pay 'as pensionable an emolument which is normally non-pensionable'?

Answer 1
PSNI mirror NICS Terms and Conditions for Police Staff including any pensionable earnings.

Question 2
Currently, do the PSNI treat any overtime incurred by Civilian Staff in their employ as pensionable?

Answer 2
No only Premiums are Pensionable.

Question 3
Have the Police Service of Northern Ireland or previous the Police Authority for Northern Ireland ever treated any overtime incurred by Civilian Staff in their employ as pensionable?

Answer 3
Not overtime, only Premiums.

Question 4
Specifically, in c.1990s, did the Police Authority for Northern Ireland ever treat regular weekend overtime performed by Civilian Staff employed by them as security staff in the Stormont Estate as pensionable?

Question 5
If the answer to question 4 is yes, what were the circumstances that enabled this application of the NICSPS rules regarding counting ‘as pensionable an emolument which is normally non- pensionable’?

Answers 4 - 5
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) does not hold information in relation to questions 4 and 5. Enquiries made in relation to your request failed to locate any records or documents relevant to your request based on the information you have provided.

In the 90s Payroll was done by Civil Service and Pensions with Civil Service Pensions.

Accordingly, we have determined that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does not hold the information to which you seek access in these questions.

Question 6
Do the PSNI employ any Civilian Staff under a ‘Conditions of Service’ amendment, either specified or implied, that makes overtime both compulsory and contractual, subject to health and welfare consideration?

Answer 6
The Service does not employ Police Staff. Police Staff are under contracted employment with the Northern Ireland Policing Board assigned to the Police Service of Northern Ireland as per the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. Police Staff Terms & Conditions relating to Overtime mirror that of NICS under which there are no compulsory or contractual Overtime.

Question 7
If the answer to question 6 is yes, is this specified type of overtime pensionable?

Question 8
If the answer to question 7 is no, then concerning specifically overtime which is contractual and compulsory, why would this not be treated as a ‘special circumstance’ that could allow the PSNI in agreement with the Department of Finance to consider this overtime ‘as pensionable an emolument which is normally non-pensionable’ ?

Answers 7- 8
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) does not hold information in relation to questions 7 and 8. Enquiries made in relation to your request failed to locate any records or documents relevant to your request based on the information you have provided.

Accordingly, we have determined that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does not hold the information to which you seek access in these questions.