§ 59. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the police recruits in England and Wales in 1956 are expected to be cadets; and what proportion of these are expected to be under the age of 16 years.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI regret that I cannot forecast the number of constables, the total number of cadets, or the number of cadets under the age of 16 who are likely to be enrolled in England and Wales in 1956. No cadets under the age of 16 are enrolled in the Metropolitan police.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that earlier this year he said that there would be a considerable number of these men enrolled, that they would be exempt from military service and isolated from civil life at the age of 15 or 16 years? Does not this run counter to the whole idea of the police being civilians in uniform? Will he look at the Committee's Report again?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeNo, I do not think that is so. I have answered the Question which I was asked, about the police forces in England and Wales. The Metropolitan Police does not enrol cadets under 16 years of age. The provincial police are not taking much advantage of the deferment which is allowed.