Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These regulations may be cited as the Police (Appointments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.

(2) These regulations shall come into operation on 5th September 2003.

Appointment as police trainee or police reserve trainee

2.  In regulation 2(2) of the Police (Recruitment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2001(3) (qualified candidate for appointment as a police trainee or police reserve trainee) –

(a)for sub-paragraph (a) (candidate must be British subject, Commonwealth citizen or citizen of the Republic of Ireland) there shall be substituted –

“(a)who, if not a national of a State which is a Contracting Party(4) to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992(5) as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993(6), must have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period;” and

(b)in sub-paragraph (f) (candidate must demonstrate skills and competencies by tests or assessments) in each of sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) after “skills and competencies” there shall be inserted “(including competency in written and spoken English)”.

Other appointments to the PSNI

3.  In regulation 9(1) of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Regulations 1996(7) (qualifications for appointment of a candidate other than a person who has completed a period as a police trainee) after sub-paragraph (g) there shall be inserted –

“(h)if not a national of a State which is a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993, have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period.”

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

Section 82 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30) removes the restrictions on the nationality of persons who can be appointed as police officers.

These regulations implement section 82 of that Act by removing a restriction as to the nationality of persons appointed as police trainees and police reserve trainees.

These regulations make provision with respect to the immigration status of candidates for appointment as police trainees or police reserve trainees and candidates for appointment to any rank in the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

These regulations impose a requirement as to the competency in written and spoken English of candidates for appointment as police trainees and police reserve trainees.