§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now report the result of the inquiries which he has been making into the various disciplinary courts connected with the Metropolitan Police, with a view to seeing whether there should be some modification of the present system; and if in this connection he will take into consideration the 183 formation of an independent board of appeal, including men with a judicial training, such as barristers or magistrates, so as to secure that those who are called upon to act as members of the court may not be closely linked with men whose own actions may be in question on some other occasion?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI find that in the year 1910 eighteen men were dismissed and seven others were reduced in rank out of a total force exceeding 19,000. I do not believe that so high a state of discipline has ever been maintained throughout so large a force at the cost of so few punishments. Further, in the last ten years the incidence of all punishments, including minor punishments, in the Metropolitan Police, fell from 11.3 per cent. to 6.3 per cent. There are many other figures, which could be cited, of a similar character; but these are sufficient to satisfy me that it would be difficult to improve upon the results which are obtained under the present system. It must also be remembered that the police authorities have no disciplinary powers other than those possessed by the private employer, and this fact renders the achievement even more remarkable. The formation of the Board of Appeal such as suggested in the question is impracticable, and I am certain that it would not be to the advantage of the constables that their failures should be dealt with by persons who have no experience of the difficulties and trials to which they are exposed.