HL Deb 01 March 1875 vol 222 cc987-8
THE EARL OF MINTO

asked Her Majesty's Government, Whether they propose to introduce any Bill for the purpose of providing pensions and superannuation allowances for the county and burgh constabulary of Scotland? That was a question which frequently—almost annually since 1867—he put to the Government of the day; but to which he had hitherto always failed in getting anything like a distinct answer. When he first asked the Question, the noble Lord who then represented the Government in that House told him that it was a subject of great interest, and should be considered; and the next year he asked the Question again, when he was told that it had been carefully considered, or was in the course of careful consideration. A year or two afterwards, when he asked the same Question, the noble Earl (the Earl of Morley) who then answered for the Home Office, said, that the subject was under the favourable consideration of the Government. That, he believed, was in 1872; when in the following year he repeated the Question, his noble Friend stated that the question was one connected with the great question of local taxation, and that they were under the necessity of postponing the subject. Now, he fully believed the late Government were in favour of doing something in this direction, yet he could not help being under the impression that they had somewhat temporized on this question. He would remind his noble Friend (the Duke of Richmond) that all the late Inspectors of the Police and Customs, and a very large number of the present Inspectors, had reported in favour of granting these pensions and superannuation allowances.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND

said, he quite admitted the importance of the question, but he was afraid he could not go as far as the Earl of Morley had been able to do, and say it was under favourable consideration; all he could say was, it should be taken into careful consideration. He must remind his noble Friend that superannuation really meant adding to the rates. He knew very well that his noble Friend was a great advocate for granting these pensions; but he must bear in mind that it was an addi- tion to the money taken out of the pockets of the ratepayers.