§ CAPTAIN NORTONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the case of Detective-Inspector Stevens, late of the Criminal Investigation Department, Thames Division, Metropolitan Police, who, after 30 years' service in the Royal Navy and Police, has been invalided on account of injuries received from time to time in the execution of his duty; and, seeing that these injuries have caused almost complete blindness, whether any steps are be taken to increase this officer's pension, which amounts to a little over l1s. a week; and whether, seeing the desirability of attracting to the Army and Navy a good class of recruit, he will consider the advisability of allowing ex-soldiers and sailors who serve in the police force to reckon towards pension their previous Army and Navy service, more especially as many of them are ineligible for promotion or special duty through being over age?
§ MR. COLLINGSIt is not the case that the officer referred to was invalided on account of injuries received in the 989 execution of his duty. There is no evidence that the defective eyesight which rendered his retirement necessary was due to an assault committed by a prisoner, to which the officer attributed it. Legislation would be necessary to give effect to the suggestion made in the second paragraph. The Secretary of State sees no grounds for such legislation.