§ Mr. ADAMSONasked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the Alloa Colliery Company and the Plean Colliery Company have at their disposal the services of constables in the Stirlingshire county force; that the colliery companies pay the wages of these constables either wholly or in part; and that, on occasion, these constables have been used by the companies to visit injured employés and obtain evidence to be used against the workmen when their claims for compensation have been before the court; and will he state whether he has sanctioned this practice?
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Ure)It is the case that the collieries mentioned have had the services of additional constables appointed by the chief constable under Section 7 of the Police (Scotland) Act, 1857. Careful inquiry was made some time ago into the allegations referred to by the hon. Member, with the result that while the Secretary for Scotland was satis- 142 fied that the constables had not acted improperly he took occasion to emphasise the need for confining additional constables to the performance of police duties ordinarily discharged by constables belonging to the regular force. I cannot accept the hon. Member's account of the nature and purposes of the action taken by the constables.