§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has taken any recent steps to get watch committees to appoint women police during the war emergency; and what action he has taken to see that suitable women are made available.
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§ Mr. H. MorrisonYes, Sir, I have recently called the attention of all police authorities and chief constables, both in boroughs and counties, to the need for policewomen in those parts of the country where large numbers of troops are concentrated; and I have asked them to give urgent consideration to the question of employing policewomen, or of adding to the number already employed. As I have explained previously, it is not easy at this stage of the war to find suitable women for these appointments, but I am glad to say that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air has been good enough to assist by calling for a limited number of volunteers from the W.A.A.F., and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service has also undertaken to continue to give me all possible assistance. I hope that by these means it may be possible to provide policewomen at any rate in the districts where their services are most urgently needed. At the same time I must point out that the appointment of additional women police will not by itself solve the problem. We must in the main rely upon the influence of parents, teachers and ministers of religion, together with a sound public opinion, if we are to deal successfully with the social mischiefs created by the war emergency. I have no doubt that all these agencies will co-operate to the best of their ability.