§ 30. Mr. Stokesasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a large number of inspectors and sergeants of the special constabulary gave up lucrative posts at the outbreak of war in order to render whole-time service, a service that was not to be expected in time of peace; that many of them are undertaking work almost equal to that of regular police officers; and whether, in view of the permanence of the employment, he will revise their rates of pay to conform more nearly to the pay of the regulars?
§ Sir J. AndersonWhile I appreciate the work which is being done by those inspectors and sergeants of the Special Constabulary who are now giving full time service, I could not accept the suggestion that their rates of pay should be 300 fixed by reference to the pay of inspectors and sergeants of the regular police. The arrangement made at the outbreak of war was that special constables who are willing to give full time service shall be paid—like other members of the Civil Defence services—a flat rate of £3 a week irrespective of rank or length of service; and the fact that among those who accepted this arrangement there are men who gave up lucrative posts in order to render public service is not, I think, a ground for altering the scheme.
§ Mr. StokesDoes the Minister recognise that other forms of Civil Defence are quite different from the duties demanded from the Special Constabulary which, in fact, are more akin to home military service, in which people who have enlisted for the period of the war are paid the same rate as the regular soldiers?
§ Sir J. AndersonI have the greatest difficulty in drawing any sharp distinction between one form of Civil Defence and another.
§ Mr. StokesDoes the Minister really equate the services of an inspector of Special Constabulary with those of a woman member of the A.F.S.?
§ Sir J. AndersonI did not make any such comparison.