§ 40. Lord Dunglassasked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds, and after what procedure, he overturned the decision of the Chief Constable of Roxburgh and Selkirk to dismiss Constables Sangster and Peters from the police force.
§ Miss HerbisonMy right hon. Friend considered the appeals of these two men under the procedure of the Police (Appeals) Acts, 1927 and 1943, and his decision to vary the punishment imposed by the chief constable was reached after careful consideration of the notices of appeal and of all the statements and documents submitted.
§ Lord DunglassIs the hon. Lady aware that until the Secretary of State intervened, these constables had pleaded guilty to a series of the gravest charges, namely, gambling in private houses in duty hours and five times falsifying the police books; and how does she and her right hon. Friend expect that there can be discipline in county police forces if this kind of thing is condoned?
§ Miss HerbisonIt is not a case of condoning anything that these men have done. They exercised their right of appeal to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State, after examination of all the evidence, decided on the course that has been adopted.
§ Mr. CarmichaelIs there any possibility of these constables being transferred to another area, in view of the attitude of the chief constable, which, to judge by the noble Lord's question, is one of great detestation for the action of the Secretary of State for Scotland, and in view of the fact that these men will be under a cloud if they are kept in that area?
§ Lord DunglassIs the hon. Lady aware that one of these constables has gone to a neighbouring county, and that there are other outstanding charges being brought against him; that the whole situation is utterly unsatisfactory; and would she not review it?
Mr. MacdonaldAs I am the Member for the constituency in question, may I ask the hon. Lady whether she knows if any notification of this matter was sent, as a matter of courtesy, to the hon. Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Robertson), to whose area one of the constables has been transferred? I ask that question because I wish to know why certain Conservative elements in Roxburgh and Selkirk, who have raised this issue, have asked Lord Dunglass—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]—to raise it in the House.
§ Lord DunglassMay I say, Mr. Speaker, that I hope the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Macdonald) is not insinuating anything in what he has just said? As the reply given is entirely unsatisfactory, I wish to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.