Police Service of Northern Ireland Regulations 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

These regulations consolidate with amendments the Royal Ulster Constabulary Regulations 1996 (the 1996 Regulations), as amended by the regulations specified in regulation 2 of these regulations. The amendments, other than drafting amendments, made by these regulations are as follows.

Regulations 11 (Appointment of senior officers), 12 (Probationary service), 14 (Retirement), 21 (Duty), 24 (Overtime), 25 (Public holidays and rest days), 26 (Temporary salary and temporary promotion), 27 (Sick pay), 28 (Maternity pay), 29 (Fixing of pay day and calculation of pay), 31 (University scholars), 32 (Leave), 33 (Allowances), 34 (Expenses), 45 (Uniform and equipment) provide for the determination by the Secretary of State of certain matters prescribed by the 1996 Regulations. Such determinations, together with determinations under regulation 23 (Pay), are subject to the provisions of regulation 46.

Regulation 7(10) (Business interests incompatible with membership of the force) has been expanded to provided a definitive list of people for the term “relative”.

Regulation 10(1)(a) (Qualifications for appointment…)has the effect that nationals of the ten states which acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004 may now qualify for appointment to the police service without having indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom.

Regulation 11 (Appointment of senior officers) removes fixed-term appointments for Assistant Chief Constables.

Regulation 19 requires members of the police service to provide a sample of hair or saliva upon appointment (other than in cases of transfer between forces) from which a DNA profile can be derived.

Regulation 22 (Meetings of Police association treated as police duty) has been amended with regard to the types of meetings held by the Police Federation and has been extended to include meetings of the Joint Central Committee and those meetings held by the Chief Police Officers' Staff Association.

Regulation 23(3)(f, g & h) (Pay) amends the circumstances in which an officer’s maternity leave counts as service for the purposes of pay and sets out the circumstances in which periods of adoption leave, maternity support leave, parental leave and adoption support leave are also counted.

Regulation 32 makes new provision for parental, adoption support and adoption leave and for time off for dependants, and replaces provision in the 1996 Regulations for paternity leave with provision for maternity support leave.

Regulation 32(13) gives the Secretary of State power to make determinations relating to career breaks.

Regulation 3 of the 1996 Regulations (which provided for the authorised establishment of the Police Service) has not been reproduced.