§ 15. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving policemen had embarked on university courses in 1962, 1964, 1966 and 1968, respectively; and what he is doing to encourage police entry to universities.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganI estimate that, for England and Wales the numbers of police officers following full-time, three-year, degree courses at the beginning of the academic year were, respectively: 0, 5, 28 and 68.
I hope that these figures will continue to show an increase.
§ Mr. DalyellIn view of the first-class results obtained from this imaginative scheme, will my hon. Friend draw the attention of the scheme to those authorities who have, so far, been less enthusiastic?
§ Mr. MorganSome 16 universities in England and Wales have so far taken police students. There does not appear to be any difficulty at all in that respect. Scotland is a matter for the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. CarlisleWhile agreeing that the figures given by the Under-Secretary are certainly encouraging, would he not agree that it is far more helpful to pursue the idea of policemen themselves going to universities through the Police College, rather than hoping to recruit police from people who have become graduates?
§ Mr. MorganI would not go so far as to say that those two matters are of necessity mutually incompatible.