§ Mr. CROOKSasked the Home Secretary whether, in the case of ex-constables rejoining the Metropolitan force during the War such extra service is not counted to the man's credit with a view to the increase in pension on the scale laid down; and, if so, whether he will favourably consider allowing this extra service to count?
§ Sir G. CAVEI would refer my right hon. Friend to the written reply which I gave to the hon. Member for North Islington on the 17th instant.
§ Mr. ALDENasked the Home Secretary whether it is his intention to make retrospective the pensions which have been granted to the widows of the police by the recent decision, in view of the number of widows who are left without support owing to the fact that on the death of the husband the pension lapses?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am sorry that I cannot see my way to do this. It would involve a very heavy charge which ought not to fall on police funds.
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§ Mr. ALDENasked the Home Secretary, whether he is aware that there are in the Metropolitan area many hundreds of police pensioners whose pension does not exceed £1 per week, and in some cases the pension is not more than 15s.; and whether, in view of the hardship which the increase in the cost of living is inflicting on a very worthy and deserving class of citizens, he can see his way to increase the pension to the pre-war value, taking into account the rise in the cost of living?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am well aware of the hardship which the increased cost of living causes to all pensioners and other persons with small fixed incomes. The case of police pensioners is perhaps less hard than that of others, because many of them are able to obtain employment at much higher wages than they could have obtained before the War. I will consult the Treasury on the matter, but I cannot say whether anything can be done beyond the measures which the Government has already taken to restrict or reduce the price of necessaries.
§ Sir GEORGE TOUCHEasked the Home Secretary if members of the Metropolitan Police who were allowed to resign in order that they might join the Colours voluntarily will, on reinstatement, receive only the rate of pay at the date of resignation, or what rates of pay will they receive, and in what respect will it differ from that of members who were taken into the Army under the Military Service Act; and what, if any, conditions will govern reinstatement?
§ Sir G. CAVEIt is proposed that these men shall, on reinstatement, receive pay at the rate to which they would have been entitled if they had continued in the police force.
§ Sir G. TOUCHEasked the Home Secretary whether an endeavour has been, or is being made, to remove the inequality of treatment between members of the Metropolitan Police Force who obtained leave to resign in order that they might join the Army and those members of the force who were called up subsequently under the Military Service Acts, and in particular to provide that police and military service should count for pension in both cases and not only in the latter case, and that the difference between police and Army pay should be given to the wives and families of both sets of men, so that those who responded voluntarily to 459W the call for men for military service may not suffer an unfair position financially as hitherto?
§ Sir G. CAVEI assume that the question refers to men who enlisted without the consent required by Section 1 (1) of the Police (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1915. If so, I hope to propose legislation which will enable them on reinstatement to reckon their Army service for the purpose of pension, but it does not appear possible to go further.