§ 56. Mr. Thorneasked the Home Secretary whether he can give the House any information about the sale of horses on the hire-purchase system by Scotland Yard authorities?
§ Sir S. HoareI assume that the hon. Member refers to the boarding-out of horses in order to provide a reserve of trained horses for the mounted branch of the Metropolitan Police. Under this system (which was adopted last year as an experiment) horses are lent to approved borrowers, who pay an annual fee, maintain the horses, insure them, and produce them whenever the Commissioner requires them for special occasions or for periodical courses of training. A borrower who has had a horse for six years will be entitled to keep it on making a further small payment.