Question
1. When the Chief Constable decided to remove the list of organisations that officers refer to when they inform him that they have a notifiable membership, when did the Chief Constable publish the new guidance as he is obliged to do under section 51(4) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000?
2. Could the Chief Constable give a breakdown of the number of police officers who have reported a notifiable membership in each of the last 5 years?
Answer
1. Guidance as required under section 51(4) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 has not yet been published as consultation required under section 51(3) of the Act has not yet been completed with the Board, the Department of Justice and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
2. The figures in relation to declared membership of notifiable organisations within the Police Service of Northern Ireland are as below.
Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ancient Order of Hibernians | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Apprentice Boys of Derry | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 |
Freemasons | 176 | 153 | 150 | 134 | 134 |
Independent Orange Order | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Knight of St Columbanus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Loyal Orange Order | 101 | 95 | 100 | 96 | 97 |
Royal Black Institution | 48 | 44 | 46 | 44 | 45 |
Other unspecified organisation | 54 | 52 | 55 | 49 | 52 |
Total | 408 | 375 | 382 | 353 | 361 |
Please note that the 361 notifications referred to in the table for 2024 relate to 273 officers as some officers have multiple notifications.
‘Unspecified organisations’ are notified at the officer’s discretion and include organisations such as Army Reserves, GAA, St John’s Ambulance, Boys Brigade etc.
Cathal Boylan MLA - Sinn Féin