Scottish police officers agree pay deal

Scottish police officers have agreed a pay deal with ministers, it has been confirmed.

The agreement includes a pay freeze, an end to special priority payments and the suspension of performance-related bonus payments for senior officers.

Ministers said it would generate savings of £8m, which will remain within police budgets.

The one-year deal, which will be implemented from April, was welcomed by the Scottish Police Federation.

It said it had never supported the introduction of special priority payments - which were given to frontline officers who carried out additional duties such as dog handling and firearms handling - because they were "divisive".

The federation's chairman Les Gray said: "We highlighted to the Scottish government our willingness to support their abolition, on the understanding that this money remained within the police budget.

"We hope that the money saved by the ending of the special priority payments shows the SPF's progressive approach to our pay and conditions and provides the wider service with much needed breathing space and reduces the need for redundancies in the service."

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) said many of its senior officers had already chosen not to take their bonuses.

Two new allowances will be introduced in April as part of the deal, including £23 for every occasion officers are on call.

The deal - which has approved by the UK Police Negotiating Board - was reached between the Scottish government and three police staff associations.

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said: "This is a fair pay deal for Scottish police, and one that has been based on constructive dialogue between the Scottish government, Acpos, Cosla and the three police staff associations.

"The savings generated from the ending of the special priority payments and the suspension of other bonuses will offer forces at least £8m a year to help sustain frontline officer numbers."

The agreement comes in a climate of public sector cutbacks, with the Scottish government facing an annual budget reduced by about £1bn.

Scotland currently has more than 17,000 police officers across the eight forces.

Plans for major reforms to the service to save money, including moving to a single Scottish force, will be consulted this month.