§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he is aware that on the afternoon of the 22nd ultimo Constable 136 H, in endeavouring to take a man to the police station on a charge of having, in the earlier part of the day, sold a quantity of lead supposed to be stolen, was set upon in Ben Jonson Road, Stepney, by a gang of roughs, knocked down, kicked in the head, rendered unconscious, and the man rescued; whether the constable, who was on duty in plain clothes by order of his Inspector, had 1s. per day deducted from his pay whilst sick, suffer- 71 ing from the injuries received on the occasion in question; and, whether he will order the constable to be reimbursed the loss thus sustained?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The answer to the first two paragraphs is in the affirmative. The rule is that police are to receive full Day during their illness on account of injuries received in the execution of their duty, unless there is some reason to the contrary. In this case the constable made the arrest in error, and the assault from which he suffered was due to his own indiscretion. It did not, therefore, seem to the authorities to be a case in which the constable should be allowed the advantage of the general rule. I must decline to interfere with the discretion of the Police Authorities in such a matter.