§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield Central)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will consider, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the possibility of reducing the issuing of tunics to sergeants and constables to one in two years, and supplying in the alternate year a smart serge jacket for use during ordinary day duty in the summer and by police engaged in office or indoor work, as in many provincial forces, and possibly with a lighter headdress than the felt helmet?
§ SIR M. W. RIDLEYThe question of supplying the Metropolitan Police with a lighter headdress and clothing for summer wear has been repeatedly before my predecessors, and the result of their consideration of the matter has invariably been a decision that, on medical and other grounds, the change would be undesirable. I shall be willing, however, to give the matter my consideration and to confer with the Commissioner of Police. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ MR. W. E. M. TOMLINSON (Preston)asked whether a light summer uniform was not supplied to the police in many places in the country.
§ SIR M. W. RIDLEYCertainly. I am perfectly a ware that that is the case in many of the police forces in the country. [" Hear, hear!"]