§ MR. JAMES STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in event of the assignment of an annual sum of £150,000 to the Receiver of the Metropolitan Police District, in aid of the Police Superannuation Fund for the Metropolitan Police Force, this sum will be in addition to the sum equal to a 9d. rate on the Metropolis at present authorised to be spent for the maintenance of the Metropolitan Police, or whether it will go to the reduction of that rate?
§ MR. MATTHEWSAs the hon. Member is aware, the Police Fund, made up by the 9d. rate, is liable to make good any deficiencies in the Superannuation Fund, and, therefore, a Government contribution of £150,000 towards superannuation will reduce the liabilities of the Police Fund by that amount. Whether any reduction of the rate will be possible must, however, depend on the income and expenditure on the one hand of the Police Fund, and on the other of the Superannuation Fund. Looking to the recent necessary increase of the Metropolitan force, I see no prospect at present of reducing the rate below 9d.
§ MR. STUARTI beg to give notice that when the Bill under which this sum is to be voted comes on for consideration I shall move that the £150,000 be applied towards the reduction of the rate.
§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)When will the Police Superannuation Bill be introduced?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am afraid I cannot fix a day, but I shall lose no time in bringing the measure before the House.