§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that men under fifty-one are not accepted for service In the Special Constabulary; if so, whether he is aware that the effect of this decision is to preclude tribunals from imposing service in the Special Constabulary as a condition of exemption in the case of men in low grades who are not eligible for the Volunteer Force, with the result that the Special Constabulary is losing the services of men who would otherwise be required to join; whether he is aware that the Local Government Board, in their 181W circular dated the 25th April, 1918, state that tribunals may impose, as a condition of exemption, that a man must become a special constable; and whether the decision to limit the age to over fifty-one was arrived at after consultation with the Ministry of National Service or the President of the Local Government Board, or either?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am informed by the Commissioner that recruiting for the Metropolitan Special Constabulary has been temporarily suspended until the needs of the force consequent upon the withdrawal of trained constables for Army service are known. When recruiting is resumed the Commissioner will be prepared to accept men exempted by the tribunals upon condition of their becoming special constables, provided that they are physically lit and otherwise qualified, and that the exemption is for a long enough time to make it worth while to undertake their training and equipment.