§ MR. SAMUEL HOARE (Norwich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an injury to a constable, while acting as a fireman, would be an injury received in the execution of his duty, so as to entitle him to a grant out of the Police Pension Fund, under the scale applicable to injuries received by a constable in the execution of his duty; and whether, if such is not the case, he will consider the hardship which may often arise, especially in the case of constables who are engaged on distinct terms to act from time to time as firemen?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am advised that except in cases where there is special provision on this subject in Local Acts—and there are many such Acts—a constable who is injured while acting as a fireman is not entitled to a grant 358 out of the pension fund under the scale applicable to injuries received by a constable in the execution of his duty. With reference to the second paragraph of the question, my hon. Friend will bear in mind that a constable is still entitled to a pension or gratuity on the ordinary scale. He is, therefore, in a better position than a fireman, who is not a constable and who receives no pension except in cases where it is provided for in Local Acts.