58. Mr. W. T. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police authorities employ coloured police officers, and in what numbers.
§ Mr. George ThomasMy information is that there are no coloured regular police officers in England and Wales, but that there are three coloured men serving as special constables, with the Plymouth, Gloucestershire and Luton police forces respectively.
59. Mr. W. T. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were received by the Metropolitan Police authority from coloured persons for appointment as police officers during the years 1963 and 1964; and how many of these were rejected, and for what reasons.
267W
§ Mr. George ThomasMy right hon. and learned Friend is informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that during 1963 and 1964 a total of 23 coloured persons, none of whom was appointed, applied to join the Metropolitan police. Seventeen of them failed in one or more respects to satisfy the requisite standards of age, height, physique or education; five of the others were recent arrivals in this country; and one was found on interview to be unsuitable.