§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH - COOKEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the hardship accruing to members of the dockyard divisions of the Metropolitan Police owing to the regulation that no policeman can be permitted to serve in the same yard as a relative; and whether he will consider the advisability of amending the regulation so as to enable the sons of dockyard policemen, fortunate enough to secure dockyard apprenticeships, being allowed to work in the same yard where their fathers are on duty, seeing that the present arrangement requires either the boy to give up the position he has gained or his father to transfer himself to another yard, thereby causing the home to be broken up and other domestic and financial hardships?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe regulation which prohibits a Metropolitan policeman, without the Commissioner of Police's authority, from serving in the establishment where he has a relative employed is a necessary one, and it has always been enforced with due regard to the particular circumstances of each individual case. This is one of those situations in which the interests of the public must be preferred to those of the individual; and in the case of a body with such a high and well-deserved reputation as the Metropolitan Police enjoy it is particularly important that they should not be placed in circumstances where they may be under suspicion of allowing their personal sentiments to conflict with their public duty.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that barristers are allowed to practice in the courts where their fathers, are sitting as judges?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThere is this regulation, and it is of a great many years' standing. I observe that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister answered a question about it fifteen years ago. The rule has always stood.