§ 61. Sir J. REMNANTasked the Home Secretary whether some knowledge of police administration is a necessary qualification before appointments are made to the highest ranks in the police forces?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo, Sir; the position is made quite clear, as regards appointments to the rank of chief officer of police in any county or borough force by section 9 of the Police Regulations.
§ Sir J. REMNANTArising out of that answer, which admits that previous police experience is not necessary, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he knows of a single case where a police officer has been transferred to fill some senior post in the Navy or the Army; and, if he does not know of any case where such a transfer has taken place, why is the police force being made a dumping ground for officers of these Services?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIf my hon. Friend will ask his supplementary question after Question No. 62 I will give him an answer.
§ Sir J. REMNANTMay I not have an answer to a supplementary question on the question I have just put?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet's supplementary question sounded rather like a speech.
§ Mr. HAYESIs it not the case that within recent memory the right hon. Gentleman refused to confirm the appointment of a chief constable for Westmorland and Cumberland on the ground that he had no previous police experience?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThat is perfectly true, because I was not convinced that the gentleman proposed to be appointed was satisfactorily qualified —I make no reflection on him, but, in my opinion, he was not the best man for the post.
§ Colonel DAYIs it not the fact that in 1918, when the late Commissioner was appointed to his position, a promise was held out to the force that thenceforth every policeman had an opportunity of attaining that position?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question was answered a few days ago.
§ 62. Sir J. REMNANTasked the Home Secretary what special qualifications Captain C. W. R. Royds, R.N., has for his appointment as assistant-commissioner which are not possessed by any of the three deputy-assistant-commissioners or six chief constables of the Metropolitan Police Force?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI made very full inquiries about the career and qualifications of Captain Royds—who has had exceptional administrative experience—before I submitted his name to His Majesty for appointment to this important post. I have known for many months that the vacancy would occur at the end of the year and have considered numerous candidates, including police officers, naval officers, Army officers, and civilian candidates. After giving much thought to the matter, I decided that it would be in the public interest, and in the interest of police efficiency to recommend the appointment of Captain Royds.
§ Sir J. REMNANTMay I ask, as the right hon. Gentleman admits that Captain Royds has no special qualifications for this position over those of the other candidates, whether I may put my question which you, Mr. Speaker, just now described as a speech, and ask why the 1609 police force is made a dumping ground for these officers?
§ Mr. SPEAKERA speech would be required in answer.
Lieut. - CommanderKENWORTHY: Will not the right hon. Gentleman use his influence to see that more vacancies suitable for naval officers are made available to them, in view of the fact that the great majority of these appointments, when they have been vacant, have been given to military officers?
§ Mr. HAYESHas the right hon. Gentleman had regard to the feeling that must exist among the higher officers of the police service of this country that the looks very much like a studied insult to them?
Captain ARTHUR EVANSWould not the right hon. Gentleman say that the duties of the predecessor of this naval officer were purely of an administrative character, and that, therefore, the qualifications of Captain Royds are admirably suitable?
Captain CROOKSHANKIs not this a proof of the truth of Gilbert and Sullivan's saying that a policeman's lot is not a happy one?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIn reply to the supplementary question of the hon. Member for Edge Hill (Mr. Hayes), I may say at once that I went very fully and carefully into the qualifications of a large number of police officers, and I faced the fact that there would be disagreement with my decision, but I made the decision after the fullest consideration of all those who might be considered applicants for the post, and came to the conclusion that in the public interest Captain Royds should be appointed.
§ Sir J. REMNANTMay I have an answer to my question as to whether the right hon. Gentleman knows of any case where a police officer has been transferred to the Navy or Army to fill any senior position?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is of the nature of argument, and it does not now arise.
§ 65. Mr. HAYESasked the Home Secretary if he will state the date when Sir James Olive, Deputy Commissioner, 1610 Metropolitan Police, tendered his resignation and when it will take effect; whether Captain Charles W. Rawson Royds, C.M.G., R.N., has been appointed deputy-commissioner or assistant commissioner; what are the nature of his duties, salary, and pension provisions; whether he takes precedence over the other assistant commissioners; and whether he will state the grounds upon which such an important police appointment is to be filled by a naval officer with no police experience?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo formal resignation has been tendered by Sir James Olive, but under the terms of his appointment he is due to retire on the 31st December. Captain Royds has been appointed Assistant Commissioner, with the status of Deputy-Commissioner, and his duties will be those of the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the administration and discipline of the force. In the absence of the Commissioner he will, by virtue of his status as Deputy-Commissioner, be in charge of the force, and will accordingly have precedence over the other Assistant Commission era. His salary will be at the rate of £1,800 a year inclusive, and his pension is governed by section 25 of the Police Pensions Act, 1921. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Holborn Division.
§ Mr. HAYESDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the difficulty of anyone who has had no knowledge of the difficulties of a police officer sitting in judgment in matters of discipline when police officers are brought before him, and if the appointment is made with regard to the efficiency or the tightening of discipline in the service, will the right hon. Gentleman be able to state to the House of Commons whether he intends to continue this policy until such time as there is no police officer in any of the higher appointments?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Member must not read into my answer more than my answer says. This officer will have charge of the administration and discipline of the force. I have made no statement of any desire or intention of tightening discipline. That is a statement made by the hon. Member for which I do not take any responsibility at all.
§ Mr. HAYESIs service at Court a qualification for such an appointment, and if not, does the right hon. Gentleman think the appointment of the chief shop walker at Woolworth's would add to the efficiency of the force?
§ Mr. STEPHENWill the right hon. Gentleman say what exceptional administrative experience this officer has had?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCertainly. He has had a very distinguished career both in the fighting and executive and administrative branches of the Navy, and recently at a Devonport Barracks with some 6,000 men under him.
§ Mr. MACLEANDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think this method of making appointments from another branch of the Service of a man who has had little training in this branch will tend to keep men of very great intelligence from going into this force?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question has already been answered.