§ MR. GRIEVEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he contemplates introducing any measure this Session to confer additional powers or duties on the Police Force in Burghs in Scotland; whether it is contemplated to establish a superannuation fund in 812 the Burgh Force, as recommended by the Select Committee of the House of Lords in 1867–8; and, whether he has fully considered a Circular from the Home Office, dated December 1873, restricting any member of the Police Force from being employed as Inspector of Nuisances; or, if so employed, to be disqualified from participating in the "Grant in aid of Police Expenses?"
MR. ASSHETON CROSSin reply, said, as he understood the first part of the Question, it referred not so much to the grant of additional powers and duties to the police in burghs as to the extension of the powers and duties which they had within a burgh to pass to a county outside the burgh. That opened a much larger question. He thought from the representations which had been made, that it would be very easy to give them power as to the seaboard, but the question with reference to power inland was more serious, and was at present under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government. As to the part of the Question about establishing a superannuation fund, the subject of superannuation of the English police was at present under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government. The hon. Gentleman would remember that the Select Committee of the House of Lords in 1867 reported very strongly that any superannuation in Scotland should be paid by the public either by means of rates or out of a burgh fund. That matter required very serious consideration, and it was not his intention to introduce a measure on the subject. As to the third part of the Question, he found that opinion in Scotland was almost entirely in favour of cancelling the Order issued by the Home Office in December, 1873, and of returning to the former Order of the Home Office; and he was quite willing to cancel the Order made in December.