§ MR. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland why, in allocating the Exchequer contribution to the Police Pension Funds for the year 1892–93, seven men were deducted from the Ayrshire force on the grounds of inefficiency; whether, in view of the fact that, after the inspection of the Ayrshire Police Force in June, 1892, and again in 1893, the Secretary for Scotland directed the Standing Joint Committee of Ayrshire to be in for me I that he had the satisfaction of certifying that the County Police Force had been maintained in a state of efficiency, he will state upon what information he acted in determining that seven men were inefficient in 1892–93; and what are the names of these men, and the nature of the causes which render them inefficient?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR,) Clackmannan(who replied) said: The deduction referred to by the hon. Member was made in accordance with the Regulations tinder Section 17 (b) of the Police (Scotland) Act, 1890, submitted to Parliament in June, 1893, and relative Circular issued by me to all Police Authorities on the 22nd of December, 1893. The communications to the Standing Joint Committee mentioned in the second paragraph of the question referred; to the efficiency of the police force as a whole, and cannot be taken to imply that every individual member of such force was considered efficient. The deduction of seven men was, as it was intimated it would be in my Circular of the 22nd of December last, based upon a certificate furnished by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary. I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by supplying the names of these seven men, and have already informed the county clerk of Ayrshire to this effect. The Secretary for Scotland has instructed the Inspector of Constabulary in future to communicate to the respective Chief Constables, at the time of his inspection, the names of those constables whom he considers inefficient.
§ MR. COCHRANEI shall call attention to this matter on the Estimates.