PALESTINE POLICE (Hansard, 13 October 1942)

§ LORD WEDGWOOD
My Lords, I desire to ask the noble Viscount the Leader of the House the starred question which stands in my name.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (VISCOUNT CRANBORNE) (Lord Cecil)
My Lords, as regards the first part of the question I must say that I am not clear what my noble friend has in mind. There have been no recent changes in the administration or command 644 of the Palestine Police Force. The Force has been under operational, as distinguished from administrative, control of the General Officer Commanding the British Forces in Palestine since 1938. In June last, by Proclamation in the Palestine Gazette, the High Commissioner declared the Force, except such part as consists of special police constables, to be a military Force for the duration of the present war liable to be employed on military duties in the defence of Palestine within the limits of the command of the General Officer Commanding the British Forces in Palestine. This Proclamation did not involve any change in administration or command. By an order of the High Commissioner under the Police Ordinance members of the Police Force to whom the Proclamation applies have been granted military rank in addition to their police rank.
As regards the second part of the question, there have been no changes in the basic pay of Jews serving in the Force, but Palestinian ranks whether Jews or not benefit from the introduction of war compensatory allowances to meet the high cost of living for Government servants in accordance with the approved scales.

§ LORD WEDGWOOD
Arising out of that answer, may I ask the Leader of the House two questions? In the first place he is aware that there have been a number of discharges—between 300 and 400, I understand—of members of the Palestine Police Force recently. Every one of those people in order to get out of the Force has had to commit some infraction of duty involving imprisonment, and nearly all those people, I think, have served terms of imprisonment before they could get out of the Force. I had thought that that sort of thing had been changed. I had hoped that it had come to an end and that men could get out of the Force by giving notice, instead of having to commit these breaches in 645 order—for that is the purpose behind many of them—that the men can come back here and serve in our Armed Forces if they prefer to do so. In the second place I gave the noble Lord the names of four of these discharged members of the Palestine Police Force. Three of them have given me statements as to the administration of that Force. I should like to know whether he has seen these men and heard their statements, whether their statements have been considered and whether anything is going to be done in the matter.

VISCOUNT CRANBORNE
In answer to my noble friend's two supplementary questions, I would say with regard to his first point that I really do not think that it is a valid one. I have just said that the Palestine Police Force has been declared to be a military Force and therefore a man who attempts to leave it is in exactly the same position as a man who attempts to leave any other military Force. He cannot do so; he is under military discipline and control, and if he attempts to leave he is committing a military offence. I know that there have been such cases as my noble friend Lord Wedgwood has mentioned. Most of the people to whom he has referred have wished to join the Armed Forces of the Crown in this country and therefore they have committed what they regard as technical offences. I think their action quite unjustifiable. They were members of a military Force and they had no right to take such action in order to obtain their discharges. They were in exactly the same position as a soldier in the British Army or a sailor in the British Navy.
With regard to my noble friend's second point he did send me a number of letters from members of the Palestine Police Force, making certain comments and charges against the administration of the Force. I have not seen the constables myself, but I have made arrangements for them to be seen at my office if they should wish to be seen, and a letter has already gone to them to that effect. I have no information now as to whether they have answered in the affirmative or not.

§ LORD WEDGWOOD
Further to that question, surely the noble Lord realizes that these people, over 300 of them, who have left the Force in order to return to this country and do their military service here, when they joined up did so on the understanding that they would be able to resign. The fact that you have automatically embodied the Force in the Army out there does not absolve you, however, from adhering to the conditions under which they were originally employed. Would the noble Viscount be so good as to let me know, as soon as convenient, whether he is seeing the people I have mentioned? Otherwise I shall have to put down another Motion to discuss their charges.

VISCOUNT CRANBORNE
I have already told the noble Lord that I do not propose to see these men myself, but I am making arrangements for them to be seen. If he wishes to put down a Motion I shall be very glad to reply to it. I am afraid that the noble Lord does not answer the point I made in reply to his original supplementary question. These men are included in a military Force, and if you are in a military Force in war-time you cannot leave of your own free will. It is a most serious offence for any man in the Forces to leave his post of duty in time of war.