(c) SEPARATION ALLOWANCE.

HC Deb 01 August 1922 vol 157 cc1349-52

Separation allowance will be payable during the first three months after the date of disbandment to any married member of the force whose home is, outside Northern Ireland and who proceeds either to Great Britain or Northern Ireland, leaving his family in Ireland. This allowance will be in addition to any compensation allowance granted under Section one of this Act, and will be made at the rates approved for the several ranks of the force, namely. 14s. a. week for constables and sergeants, 17s. 6d. a week for head constables, and 28s. a week for officers of higher rank.

In this Schedule the expression "date of disbandment" means the date of discharge in the ease of an officer or man to whom compensation is payable under Section one of this Act, and the date fixed for the disbandment of the force in the case of an officer or Mall in receipt of a pension.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with so much of the Lords Amendment as proposes to leave out the Schedule, and to insert a First Schedule."

Their Lordships moved in a new First Schedule, which is in two Parts. I wish to accept their Amendment with regard to the First Schedule, but not to accept the Second and Third Schedules.

Sir JOHN BUTCHER

On a point of Order. I think there is a verbal mistake in paragraph 4 of the first part of this Schedule, which provides for a pension or gratuities to widows and children. The words are: The Treasury may, if they think fit, grant a pension or gratuities to the widow and children of the officer or constable. That was all right according to the form in which the Bill was originally drawn. It was contained in Sub-section (1) of Clause 1 of the original Bill. After the Bill was introduced, Sub-section (1) was altered, and instead of leaving it optional or open to the Treasury to grant or not to grant pensions or gratuities to widows and children, it was made compulsory. In line 19 of the Bill which we are considering these words appear: the Treasury shall grant a pension or gratuities. inasmuch as the word "shall" was inserted in Sub-section (1) of Clause 1 of the Bill, the word "shall" ought therefore to be put into paragraph 4 of the First Schedule, in place of the word "may." The hon. Member for East Leicester (Mr. Banton) has an Amendment to carry out this alteration. I wish to ask you, Mr. Speaker, when would be the proper time for my hon. Friend to move his Amendment?

Mr. SPEAKER

It would be necessary to agree with the Lords Amendment after the Amendment be made.

Sir J. BUTCHER

Would it be proper to amend it first?

Mr. SPEAKER

We can take the Amendment before the Schedule be agreed to.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I am quite prepared to accept the Amendment of the hon. Member for East Leicester, which is consequential. In practice it may be more convenient if he move it now.

Mr. SPEAKER

The right hon. Gentleman should first withdraw his Motion to agree with the Lords Amendment.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Motion.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

So much of the Lords Amendment as proposes to leave out the Schedule agreed to.

Mr. BANTON

I beg to move, as an Amendment to the Lords Amendment, in the First Schedule, Part I, paragraph 4, to leave out the words "may, if they think fit" ["the Treasury may, if they think fit"], and to insert instead thereof the word "shall." The alteration of the word "shall" for "may" was originally agreed to by this House.

Mr. SHORT

I beg to second the Amendment.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I have much pleasure in accepting the Amendment, which is consequential on an Amendment moved by the hon. Member for East Leicester (Mr. Banton) in Committee on this Bill upstairs. It follows Sub-section (1) of Clause 1 of the Bill itself.

Amendment to Lords Amendment agreed to.

So much of the Lords Amendment, as amended, agreed to.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I beg to move, "That this House doth disagree with so much of the Lords Amendment as proposes to insert a Second Schedule."

This is a Schedule which the Lords wished to incorporate in the Bill. Presumably, the tribunal is the one under Sir Edward Troup, which is now dealing with cases of hardship consequent on the disbandment. of the Royal Irish Constabulary. For reasons I have already given, I move to disagree with the Lords Amendment.

Mr. SPEAKER

This Motion is consequential on that already moved.

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I beg to move, "That this House doth disagree with so much of the Lords Amendment as proposes to insert a Third Schedule."

We have already covered the ground for bringing into this Bill the terms of disbandment.

Mr. SPEAKER

There is a question of privilege here.