RECRUITMENT TO POLICE FORCES

HL Deb 24 November 1948 vol 159 cc543-4

2.40 p.m.

LORD CLYDESMUIR

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

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider the advisability of raising the age for recruitment to police forces in this country in the case of suitable officers who have had previous service in India and elsewhere and are now without employment; and whether they are aware that such flexibility in the matter of recruitment would go some way to fulfil the obligations which His Majesty's Government have to find employment for such men, as well as make a contribution to the manpower situation.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, under the provisions of the Police Regulations, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland have the power, in special circumstances, to approve the appointment of constables who are over the prescribed age limit of thirty, on the recommendation of the local appointing authority. Any such recommendations on behalf of officers who had served in India or elsewhere would naturally receive careful consideration, but in view of the need to maintain a proper balance in the age distribution of the police service and of the fact that men recruited over the age of thirty may not be able to qualify for a full pension, any widespread acceptance of such officers—most of whom are understood to be well over thirty years of age—is, I regret to say, unlikely. The United Kingdom Government, however, are doing all they can to assist those men who previously served in India and Pakistan.

LORD CLYDESMUIR

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, I should like to ask whether he is aware that the number of these men is small and would not upset the balance of the Forces. I am sure he recognises that there is a high responsibility on His Majesty's Government to help these men to find employment.

LORD SHEPHERD

The Government, of course, recognise that responsibility and are acting upon it. As I have said in my reply, the Ministers already possess the power to sanction the employment of these men on the recommendation of the local bodies who are responsible for their employment.