HC Deb 27 July 1944 vol 402 cc882-3
21. Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds compensation is denied to members of the Police War Reserve who meet with accidents on their way to duty while regular police officers who suffer accidents under similar circumstances receive compensation.

Mr. H. Morrison

The distinction is due to the fact that the pension conditions of the regular police are governed by the Police Pensions Act, 1921, and those of the Police War Reserve, like other wartime services, by the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme.

Mr. Brown

Does the Secretary of State think, because two sets of people are dealt with under two separate sets of regulations, that he should acquiesce in a situation in which events arise of a precisely similar character, and one treatment is given to one set of people and quite another to the other?

Mr. Morrison

I would not expect my hon. Friend to acquiesce in anything he thinks is wrong.

Mr. Brown

But does the right hon. Gentleman think that he should acquiesce?

Mr. Morrison

If I make a change in respect of the Police War Reserve, I shall create anomalies in other Services. There is a particular scheme for the wartime service, and one for the civil population. It so happens that under the Police Pensions Acts, the police have rather different treatment.

Mr. Brown

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that if we never remove an anomaly for fear that if we do so we shall create another, the net result will be massive immobility on all fronts?