HC Deb 04 November 1920 vol 134 cc604-5W
Mr. GILBERT

asked the Home Secretary what rent, boot and clothing allowances are made to the members of the Metropolitan Police Force; and if the same allowances are made to single and married policemen?

Mr. SHORTT

Married men of all ranks receive rent allowances equal to the amount of rent and rates paid up to a maximum limit, which is at present 17s. weekly for inspectors, 14s. weekly for sergeants, 12s. weekly for constables. The great majority of single men are provided with accommodation in section houses rent free. Those single men who are permitted to reside out of section houses receive allowances equal to half the maximum rates for married men. The boot allowance is 2s. weekly, and the plain clothes allowance is £24 per annum for superintendents, £22 per annum for inspectors and 7s. weekly for sergeants and constables. The boot allowance and the plain clothes allowance are the same for single as for married men.

Mr. GILBERT

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received any protest from the single men of the Metropolitan Police Force as regards the recent increases which have been paid to that force and the increases being varied as regards the amount paid to single and married policemen; and if he can make any statement as to whether such varying methods of payment to men employed in the same work is causing any discontent in this force?

Mr. SHORTT

No protest on the subject has been submitted to me or to the Commissioner of Police, but I understand the Constables' Branch Board have submitted to the Central Committee of the Police Federation a Resolution regretting the differentiation in bonus payable to married and single men respectively. The scheme was unanimously recommended by a committee on which the Police Federation were fully represented, and the reason for the differentiation was that the increase in the cost of living affects single and married men to different degrees. Any cases of single men who have immediate relatives dependent upon them for support are specially considered by the Commissioner.