§ 7. Mr. John E. Haireasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of recruits and resignations, respectively, in the Metropolitan and Home Counties police forces, and in the country generally, during the past six months.
§ Mr. EdeAs the answer involves a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HaireWould my right hon. Friend consider improving the position of these forces as a means of improving the intake? Would he, for example, consider the fact that police constables are asked even to buy their own typewriters, and that this requirement might be abolished?
§ Mr. EdeI have, as I told the House three weeks ago, appointed a committee of the Police Council to advise me generally on a revision of the conditions of the police forces. When I receive that report I will take it into immediate consideration.
§ Following is the answer:
§ During the six months ended 31st October, 1946, the following recruits joined the police forces of England and Wales:
| Metropolitan police | 1,056 |
| City of London police | 39 |
| County and borough forces in the Home Counties | 316 |
| Other county and borough forces | 3,101 |
| Total | 4,512 |
§ During the same period there were the following resignations from the Metropolitan police force on other than medical grounds:
| Recruits | 114 |
| Others with less than 25 years' service | 284 |
| Members with 25 to 30 years' service (on pension) | 523 |
| Total | 921 |
§ Comparable figures for the county, city and borough forces for this period are not available.