§ 80. Mr. STANTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all the conditions agreed to by the Government on the occasion of the police strike have been fulfilled; and what is the cause of the delay in granting to the force the several concessions then promised?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)So far as I am aware there has been no delay. The grant of the widows' pensions depended on the passing of a Bill by Parliament. That Bill will, I understand, receive the Royal Assent this week. All the other promises made to the Metropolitan Police have been carried out.
§ 82. Mr. GILBERTasked the Under-Secretary whether, in view of the extra duties carried out by the Metropolitan Police force during the War period, and specially during air raids, and the extra calls that will be made on their services during the forthcoming peace celebrations, he will consider as to granting all men in the force who have served since 1914 extra annual leave during next year as some recognition of their work during the past four years?
§ Mr. BRACEWith every sympathy with the hon. Member's object, I fear that the extra calls that will be made upon the Metropolitan Police during the peace celebrations as well as during the period of demobilisation, especially as the force will still be much under strength, will make it very difficult to entertain his suggestion to grant extra leave. It must be borne in mind also that the restriction of leave has been common to the armed forces of the Crown, who have been continually on duty during the period referred to.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSMay I ask whether it is not possible, if extra leave cannot be given to these men who have done such 3425 extraordinarily heavy service, that some monetary compensation may be given to them?