BUSINESS QUESTIONS – CIVIL NUCLEAR POLICE FEDERATION

Plans to raise the retirement age of Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers to 68 years old will leave this service “unsustainable” according to the Chief Constable of the CNC.

These officers will deter any attacker whose intent is the theft or sabotage of nuclear material whether static or in transit. If such an attack occurs the CNC will defend that material and deny access to it. These officers operate across the UK in sites such as Hunterston in North Ayrshire.

Their important work means that they are heavily armed and required to meet demanding standards of physical fitness as well as being deployed as armed officers in serious situations of national security.

Conventional police officers will continue to retire at 60 years old but the civil nuclear police are currently not included in that dispensation despite the fact that to permit them to do so would not raise costs as extra costs would be offset by extra case management costs, early retirement and compensation costs. In fact, it is estimated that keeping their retirement age at 60 would produce a net saving of £4.3m a year.

These officers work in extremely dangerous situations and potentially risk their lives for our safety. They deserve to retire at the age of 60, as other conventional police officers do.

I raised this matter with the Leader of the House today. Please click below to hear the exchange: