§ 13. Mr. GILBERTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Commissioner has authorised a payment of 6d. a tour of eight hours where constables on reserve are required to parade for duty with their own bicycles; whether he is aware that this payment has been abolished in the V Division although the men are still required to use their machines in warning special constables and Rod Cross workers in the event of an air raid; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction this Order has caused, he will give instructions that the police of the V Division shall be paid for the use of their machines in conformity with the general practice?
§ 14. Mr. WILESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the superintendent of the V Division of the Metropolitan Police Force has abolished the payment to con stables of 6d. per tour of eight hours' duty whilst compelling the authorised cyclists still to parade with their cycles; whether, when the authorised cyclists of the Putney and Wandsworth Division submitted reports to the Chief Constable asking that their names should be taken 183 off the cycle list, these reports were stopped by the superintendent and the men threatened with punishment; and whether he is aware that in all other divisions in the Metropolitan area the practice is still in force whereby police-constables on cycle reserve receive 6d. per day per tour of eight hours?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir G. Cave)I am informed that the superintendent has not abolished the payment of 6d., but, as he found that the conditions under which the grant is made were not being observed, he took steps to bring the practice into closer accord with them. The whole matter is being considered by the Commissioner. He informs me that there is no foundation for the suggestion that reports were stopped or the men threatened with punishment.