POLICE WIDOWS' PENSIONS

Early day motion 1063, tabled 14 March 2017 by Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 35 members.

That this House recognises that police officers often place themselves in the way of harm to protect their communities, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice and leaving behind families and loved ones; is deeply concerned that the Police Pension Regulations 1987 do not allow police widows or widowers the opportunity to marry or cohabit, without losing their right to a police widows or widowers pension for life; agrees with the Police Federation of England and Wales that it is morally and ethically regrettable to make police widows and widowers and their dependents effectively choose between future financial security and the possibility of future personal happiness; welcomes the fact that the Police Pension Regulations 2006 allow new entrants or serving officers to transfer to a new scheme which permits their survivors to access benefits which are payable for life regardless of whether they remarry; regrets that nevertheless many police widows and widowers still remain disadvantaged by the Police Pensions Regulations 1987; calls on the Government urgently to review the situation; and notes that this would achieve parity with police widows and widowers in Northern Ireland and military widows in all parts of the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 11, DUP 5, Scottish National Party 5, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 3, Conservative 2, UUP 2, Green 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1.