§ 65. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the railway general managers and the representatives of railway police failed to come to an agreement at the conference held recently to consider conditions of service and the formation of an organisation similar to the Police Federation, he is prepared to appoint a committee on the lines of the Desborough Committee so that both sides may have an opportunity of presenting their case to an independent tribunal?
§ 66. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Transport whether it is proposed to apply to the railway police the recommendations of the Desborough Committee with respect to the appointment of chief officers; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that the committee recommend that no person without previous police experience should be appointed as chief constable in any force unless he possesses some exceptional qualification or experience which specially fits him for the post, any opportunity has been given railway police officers to apply for the position of chief officer in the police department of the Great Central Railway and the detective department of the Midland Railway, to which new appointments are to be made?
§ Mr. NEALThe conditions of service of the railway police are at present the subject of negotiations between representatives of the railway companies and 1722 of the men concerned. The appointment of chief officers is a matter within the discretion of the individual companies, and I have no knowledge of the circumstances of the two cases to which the hon. Member refers.