§ 31. Mr. JOHN DAVISONasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that members of the West Sussex Constabulary are subject to a regulation prohibiting them from visiting licensed premises even when they are off duty; that a member of this force was recently fined £2 for entering a public-house on his rest day and whilst in private clothes and was ordered to remove to another part of the county at his own expense; whether this regulation is applicable to other police forces; whether it has been submitted to 219 and approved by the Police Federation; and whether he will consider the advisability of having it annulled?
§ Mr. SHORTTI am informed that there is a regulation prohibiting members of the West Sussex Constabulary from entering licensed premises within the area of the division in which they are serving, except in the execution of police duty, and that a member of the force has recently been punished as stated for a breach of this regulation, after he had been previously reported for a similar offence, and for being under the influence of drink. I understand that a similar rule exists in some other counties, and is one of the conditions on which a constable accepts appointment in the force. Representation has been made to me by the Central Committee of the Police Federation that the rule is unnecessarily strict, but the matter is one for the discretion of the local authority, and I am not prepared at present to advise its relaxation.