§ Mr. GROVESasked the Home Secretary whether the drafting of police from one district to another for purposes of attendance at demonstrations, social functions, meetings, and the like involves the district visited in any additional expense; and whether constables stationed within a building at which a public meeting is to be held are giving service at the public expense or are such service payments chargeable to the promoters?
§ Sir J. SIMONI presume that the hon. Member's question refers to the Metropolitan Police District. If police are moved from one area to another in that District, the cost (which would normally be restricted to small sums incurred in travelling expenses) falls upon the whole district and not upon any particular area of it and is defrayed from the Metropolitan Police Fund. As regards the second part of the Question, no charge is made to the promoters for the services of the police sent to a meeting3010W in cases where they are sent by the direction of the Commissioner of Police but if the promoters ask for their attendance the Commissioner has discretion to require payment.