HC Deb 10 June 1943 vol 390 cc833-4
30. Mr. Cocks

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that, whereas a policeman who is injured on his way to duty has a claim for compensation, a member of the Police War Reserve injured in precisely similar circumstances has no such claim unless the injury arises from a civil emergency, he will take steps to remove this apparent anomaly?

Mr. H. Morrison

The distinction to which my hon. Friend refers is due to the fact that the pension conditions of the regular police are governed by the Police Pensions Act, 1921, and those of the Police War Reserve, like the Civil Defence Services, by the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme. Even if it were practicable to assimilate the pension conditions of the Police War Reserve to those of the regular police, to do so would only create new anomalies in this respect as between the Police War Reserve and other war-time services.

Mr. Cocks

Is my right hon. Friend aware that members of the Police War Reserve are told by the inspectors that a policeman has to consider himself on duty from the moment he leaves his lodgings or his house to the moment when he returns to it and that if a member of the Police War Reserve falls off a bicycle and meets with serious injury he gets no compensation, whereas a policeman does? Is my right hon. Friend aware that this difference causes very great resentment?

Mr. Morrison

That is hardly the Question on the Paper. Perhaps my hon. Friend would be good enough to put his Question down.

Sir Joseph Lamb

Is it the policy of my right hon. Friend that justice must not be done in case somebody else might require it?