HL Deb 20 May 1942 vol 122 cc1138-9
THE EARL OF MANSFIELD

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing on the Paper in my name.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the acute difficulties that will be caused to many police authorities if all constables under 25 years of age, and all those, who when they registered were not more than 25 years old, are called, as is proposed, before the end of this summer; and whether they will consider deferring the calling-up of at least 50 per cent. of such men, until arrangements can be made to have them replaced by suitable substitutes.]

LORD TEMPLEMORE

My Lords, in the absence of my noble friend the Duke of Devonshire, I have been asked to reply to this question. The Government fully realize the importance of maintaining an efficient police service, but it is their considered view that in the present situation the gain to the country's offensive power resulting from the release of a proportion of the younger policemen for service with the Forces will outweigh the loss to the police service. It is an essential feature of the scheme that the men who are released are to be allocated to combatant units in which their high standard of physique and intelligence will be of special value. Arrangements have, however, been made to give special consideration to those districts in which conditions arising in the event of invasion are likely to lead to exceptionally heavy demands upon the police, and my right honourable friends the Home Secreary and the Secretary of State for Scotland have informed police authorities that they are prepared in such exceptional cases to consider the question of deferment of a proportion of the men affected.

THE EARL OF MANSFIELD

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply, but I should like to ask him if the Government realize that if this proposed measure had been put into operation earlier it would have been quite easy to replace men. It is now extremely difficult because there are very few men, not doing more important work already, who have the education, the physique and the character necessary to make efficient policemen.

LORD TEMPLEMORE

Yes, and I think the second part of my reply is really an answer to my noble friend's supplementary question. The Home Secretary and the Secretary of State are prepared in exceptional cases to consider the deferment of some of the men.