HC Deb 28 June 1926 vol 197 cc818-9
59. Mr. HORE-BELISHA

asked the Home Secretary whether he can make a statement on the voluntary fund collected by the "Times" newspaper on behalf of the police force, in recognition of their services during the general strike, and the purposes for which it will be used?

Captain HACKING

All that can be said at present is that it is proposed to establish the fund, under Royal Charter, its administration to be in the hands of six trustees, constituted as follows:

The Home Secretary (ex officio Chairman),

The Secretary for Scotland (ex officio Vice-Chairman),

The Lord Chief Justice of England,

Lord Desborough,

The Right Hon. Reginald McKenna, and Lord Lovat.

Any vacancy to be filled by unanimous vote of the remaining trustees. It is further proposed that the trustees shall be assisted by an Advisory Council on which the Home Office, the Scottish Office and the various ranks of the police forces will be represented. The fund is to be applied for advancing the well-being of the police of Great Britain and their dependants; subject to this, the trustees will have a wide discretion as to the particular purposes to which it is to be devoted, and it is impossible further to define those purposes until the trust has been constituted and the trustees have given the matter their consideration.

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

Will the representatives of the police force have as great a say in the disposal of this money as the distinguished gentlemen whose names have been mentioned?

Captain HACKING

They will certainly have a say in the matter.

Mr. J. JONES

Are the miners against whom this fund has been organised—[Cries of "Order!" and "No!"] Oh, yes. The police are well paid and are provided for. Cannot the miners have this money? Payment for blacklegs as usual.

Mr. BECKETT

A bribe to the police force!

Mr. B. SMITH

Can the Under-Secretary tell us whether the collection was quite a spontaneous thing, or whether it originally had the hacking of the Government?

Captain HACKING

I can assure the hon. Member that it was quite spontaneous and unknown to the Government.

Mr. B. SMITH

That being the case, how is it that the people who are distributing the fund are mostly Members of the Government?