22. Major Mott-Radelyffeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers who held the rank of chief constable before the Police Act was passed last April are now being offered re-employment with the rank of assistant chief constable, owing to the amalgamation of police forces which has taken place under this Act.
§ Mr. EdeThe provisions of Section 1 of the Police Act, 1946, abolishing non-county borough police forces, do not take effect until 1st April next, and until proposals have been submitted to me for an alteration of the authorised establishment, I am not in a position to say how many displaced chief constables will be offered appointment as assistant chief constables.
§ Major Mott-RadclyffeCan the right hon. Gentleman say what is the proposed compensation to those former chief constables who will not be offered that rank? Surely they cannot all be offered that rank?
§ Mr. EdeAny person who now holds office as a chief constable will continue to receive the same emoluments as he does at the moment. If he decides not to continue in the force, the Act which was passed earlier this year provides the basis for the compensation to be paid to him and reserves certain rights for his widow in the event of his dying before he reaches the age at which he would have been eligible for pension had he remained a chief constable.