§ MR. HEYWOOD JOHNSTONE (Sussex, Horsham)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has been able to look into the question of altering the law so as to enable county authorities to establish a reserve class of police officers from those who have become entitled to retire on a pension, application for his approval of a scheme for which purpose was made by the Standing Joint Committee of the County of West Sussex on the 1st May, 1900, and further consideration promised in the letter from the Home Office of 27th October last; whether he is aware that schemes for this purpose are in operation in Liverpool and in some other county boroughs where the approval of the Secretary of State is not requisite, and whether he will bring in a Bill in the present session to put county police authorities on the same footing in this respect as borough police authorities are.
§ *MR. RITCHIEYes, Sir, I have considered this question, and though I do not see my way to promote legislation to facilitate the establishment of reserve forces of police, I have prepared a Bill for the purpose of removing a difficulty which, I understand, at present stands in the way of constables continuing in a force after they have become entitled to retire on a pension. I am afraid that I cannot promise to introduce the Bill this session.