§ MR. PICKERSGILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present stage in the consolidation of the Police Orders, and when is it probable that they will receive the sanction of the Home Office?
§ MR. BURDETT-COUTTSI desire to ask whether it is the case that Sir Charles Warren declined to submit these Consolidated Orders to the Home Secretary; whether Mr. Monro took a different view, and nearly a year ago submitted them to the Home Secretary; whether the right hon. Gentleman proposed to submit them to a committee of three clerks, one of whom was a clerk in Mr. Monro's office; and whether Mr. Monro objected to have his own orders submitted to one of his own clerks?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI think the hon. Gentleman had better give Notice of this question. The answer to the first question is: A set of Consolidated Police Orders, prepared by a Board of Police Officers and extending to some 600 pages, is now being examined by a member of the Bar with a view to settling the language of the Orders in consonance with the law. He has not yet completed his task, and, as it is likely that questions may arise for my considera- 1792 tion, I cannot at present fix a date when my formal sanction will be given.
§ MR. PICKERSGILLHow long has the draft of these Consolidated Orders been at the Home Office; and has not the gravest inconvenience been caused by the detention of them?
§ MR. MATTHEWSNo, Sir. These Consolidated Orders have been issued from time to time, not simultaneously. The work of consolidation began a considerable time back; it began in Sir C. Warren's time, and it has been continued ever since. When Sir C. Warren left, the Orders formed an enormous accumulation, and some of them struck me as not being in consonance with the law.