HC Deb 28 April 1914 vol 61 cc1526-8
83. Mr. TOUCHE

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any difficulty is experienced in getting suitable recruits for the Metropolitan Police force and in retaining their services on a permanent basis?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)

No difficulty is experienced in getting and keeping suitable recruits.

Mr. TOUCHE

Is the number normal?

Mr. McKENNA

I should like notice of that question.

84. Mr. TOUCHE

asked how many sergeants and constables are at present receiving no advance in pay in respect of the increase granted to the Metropolitan Police during last year; and how many sergeants and constables are receiving the increase?

Mr. McKENNA

Five hundred and fifty-two section sergeants and 4,221 constables are receiving increased pay. One thousand three hundred and fifty-seven of the former and 13,097 of the latter receive no immediate benefit, but can look forward both to increased pay and to increased pensions.

Mr. TOUCHE

After how many years' service will they get the increased pay?

Mr. McKENNA

That will depend upon how many years they have served.

Mr. TOUCHE

Will the period date from the commencement of their service?

Mr. McKENNA

I should like notice of that question.

85. Mr. TOUCHE

asked if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that members of the Metropolitan Police force labour under a sense of hardship because they receive no periodic advance, while their comrades in northern boroughs, who start in some cases at a higher minimum, are receiving a periodic advance, although, according to the Board of Trade Returns, London is a dearer centre as regards the cost of living; and is the question receiving consideration?

Mr. McKENNA

Provision is made for a periodic advance in pay in all ranks of the Metropolitan Police. The question of the pay of the Metropolitan Police has received my consideration, and a few months ago I had the satisfaction of granting an increase which immediately benefited a large part of the force, and materially improved the prospects of a still larger number.

86. Mr. TOUCHE

asked what is the pay of a Metropolitan Police constable with between eight and fifteen years' service; how does it compare with the pay in 1905, taking into account the depreciated purchasing power of the sovereign as compared with that year; and are the real wages on that basis now less or more?

Mr. McKENNA

The increasing cost of living has not been lost sight of in considering the pay of a Metropolitan Police constable, which for a man of from eight to fifteen years of service is now 35s. The pay was raised in 1901 from a scale of 24s. to 32s. to a scale of 25s. 6d. to 33s. 6d.; and in 1911 it was raised to a scale of 27s. to 35s. for men of less than fifteen years of service. In addition, rent aid, which is drawn by nearly three-quarters of the constables in the force, was in 1904 raised from 1s. 6d. to a scale of 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. a week.

Mr. TOUCHE

Does the right hon. Gentleman draw from that an answer in the affirmative or negative to the last part of the question?

Mr. McKENNA

That would be a matter of very careful calculation.