HC Deb 21 June 1920 vol 130 cc1790-1W
Mr. DOYLE

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the House any assurance that the recent decree forbidding members of the police force joining the Police Union is being carried out; if he can give any indication, how many members of the force are secretly contributing to the funds of the said union; and if any members of the force have recently been dismissed because of their known and active sympathy with such organisation?

Mr. SHORTT

I have no reason to think that there has been any infringement of the Act of Parliament which forbids a member of a police force to join any union, and I have no evidence of any secret contributions by the police to the funds of the body calling itself the Police Union. Any police officer joining a unionipso facto ceases to be a constable, but I have heard of no such case, nor has any police officer been dismissed for any cause such as that suggested in the question.