§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is anticipated that the duties of members of the Palestine Police Force will terminate; and by what date all members of the Force will be returned to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsOn 15th May, 1948, when those members of the British section of the Force who have not already done so will leave Palestine. Certain individual members of the Force may, however, volunteer to remain for temporary service with the Army in order to facilitate the withdrawal.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many wives of members of the Palestine Police Force killed in Palestine during 1947 are in receipt of pensions; how many parents of such men are in receipt of pensions; how many applications from parents have been refused; and what is the total cost to the British taxpayer.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsTwo British and seventeen Palestinian widows of Members of the Palestine Police Force killed during 1947 are receiving pensions, and fourteen British and five Palestinian mothers are likewise receiving pensions. Three applications for pensions from British mothers have been refused on the ground that they were not dependent upon their sons. The total cost of the pensions is £1,544 annually, and in addition non-recurrent payments of death gratuities to the estates of officers killed amounted to £25,267 during 1947. All these payments have been made from Palestine funds.