§ 16. Mr. LUNNasked the Home Secretary whether he has approved of the ban placed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police upon policemen marrying under four years' service; whether he will state the reasons for this; and whether he has made careful inquiries as to the wisdom of enforced celibacy on members of the police force?
§ Sir. J. GILMOURThe requirement is that a man joining the Metropolitan Police Force shall not marry without the Commissioner's consent until he has served for at least four years. This has been made a condition of service of the force with my approval. In provincial forces a condition that a man shall not marry without the chief constable's consent is fairly common. Some such condition is necessary in order to prevent the number of single men in police quarters falling too low, and I am satisfied that its introduction is in the interests of efficiency.
§ Mr. LUNNEven if the right hon. Gentleman considers it is in the interests of efficiency, does he think it is in the interests of morality?