§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether His attention has been drawn to a discussion in the Bristol City Council, as reported in The Police Review of 6th November, from which it appears that the son of one of Her Majesty's Inspectors General of Police has been appointed Chief Inspector of the Bristol Police Force, after only about 12 months' service, over the heads of 13 Inspectors of long service; will he inquire how long the gentleman recently appointed has been actually in the police force; and whether he will consider the advisability of introducing some Regulation by which patronage of this character shall be discontinued and promotion depend on proved qualifications and experience in Constabulary duties?
§ MR. H. GLADSTONEThe Secretary of State has nothing to do with the appointment to which my hon. Friend refers; the matter lies wholly in the hands of the Local Authority; but I may state that, as a, matter of fact, it was not known, when the appointment was made, that the new Inspector was the son of one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary.