To ask the Minister of Justice for his assessment of the sense of unfairness felt by some police officers who had completed the required length of service but were unable to leave the PSNI under the Patten Scheme due to age requirements.

The Voluntary Severance Scheme arose from the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland (Patten Commission) which was established as a result of the Good Friday Agreement. Consultation with members of Police Associations on this Scheme indicated that, while they felt the scheme should have been more generous, it offered the best overall deal for the majority of police officers.

The regulations governing the severance arrangements for members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland detail the criteria for admission to the Severance Scheme.

In line with similar schemes, there had to be a cut off point for eligibility. I recognise that in such circumstances there will often be individuals who feel a sense of grievance.