§ MR. O'GRADY (Leeds, E.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the conditions of service in the police force are such as to prevent police officers from using their 337 civil rights in all respects; whether the conditions preclude a member of the force from writing to the public Press commenting upon matters connected with the terms of service; and, if so, will he issue an order instructing that there shall be no undue restraint upon police officers in these matters.
§ (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The members of the Metropolitan police, like other public officers, are necessarily subject to certain restrictions in the exercise of their civil rights. They cannot, for instance, sit in this House, or on county or borough councils, nor may they act as directors of companies. They are also prohibited from communicating with newspapers on police matters without the consent of the Commissioner. The last is a restriction similar to that imposed on all civil servants, and is clearly necessary in the public interest. I have no reason to think that any undue restraint is imposed.