§ 2.54 p.m.
Lord INGLEWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can confirm that it will cost approximately £85,000 to implement Recommendation No. 6 of the report of the recent Working Party on the Special Constabulary, which proposes to change the traditional badges of rank worn by all members above the rank of special constable in a way that will have no operational advantage; and whether they will advise such chief constables as have not already so decided to defer this expenditure and instead to spend this money on the regular force.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)My Lords, the changes in the uniform of special constables recommended by the Working Party of the Police Advisory Board, on which special constables were represented, underline both the full constabulary status of the special constable and the administrative rather than operational role of the supervisory grades. My right honourable friend has asked all chief officers of police and police authorities to implement the recommendations as soon as possible.
The cost of providing the supervisory grades with new grade badges is estimated to be less than £1,000. The rest of Recommendation No. 6 covers diced cap-bands and shoulder flashes. Calculations I have made, based on quotations obtained by the Metropolitan Police, suggest that the total cost of implementing all the Working Party's recommendations might approach the figure quoted by the noble Lord, but only on the assumption that all forces decided to have the insignia attached to uniforms professionally.
Lord INGLEWOODMy Lords, I take it from the noble Lord's reply that my figure is approximately correct. While accepting that Recommendation No. 6 was a package intended to avoid a breakdown of the Working Party, and while no special constable would want to be shielded from any hazard which is part of normal police duties, may I ask whether the Minister thinks it right to label part-time volunteers with obvious shoulder badges advertising that they are less experienced and less well trained, 164 thereby inviting a villain in case of any affray to hit them first? That is, in fact, what the Government are asking the police to do.
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I do not quite share the views of the noble Lord on the last point that he has made. The situation was that special constabulary shoulder flashes were worn in rather more than half the police force areas of this country before this recommendation was implemented by the Home Secretary.