§ MR. T. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department—(1) whether his attention has been called to the case of Inspector Ruff, of the Metropolitan Police Force, in Islington, who was reduced in rank about a year since, some six months before he was entitled to retire on a full pension (2) whether Mr. Ruff had since retired and been awarded a pension on the scale of his salary during the few months that had passed since he was reduced in rank, instead of on the average pay that he had received during the last three years of his service in the force; (3) whether the right hon. Gentleman has taken the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown on the legality of this action; and (4) whether he will give orders that the question of Mr. Ruffs pension be reconsidered in accordance with what is understood to be the usual practice?
§ MR. ASQUITHThe answer to the first three paragraphs is in the affirmative. I am in communication with the Law Officers on the subject, and hope to decide the matter at an early date.