§ Order of the day for the Second Heading read.
§ LORD BELPERMy Lords, the object of this Bill is to amend the law with regard to the granting of pensions to police reservists. At present, a policeman who has been called out with the Reserves cannot, on returning to the police force, count the time during which he was on active service in calculating his pension. Nor have the police authorities any power to allow that to be done. This Bill will enable the police authorities, if they think fit—the matter is entirely in their own control—to include time spent on active service in the calculation of the time that would count for superannuation think your Lordships will agree that it is only reasonable that a man in this position, who has served through a long and arduous campaign, should be allowed to count that period in the same way as if he had been serving his country in the police force at home.
Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.