§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the evidence which has been sent to him that indicates that membership of masonic lodges is detrimental to the fair and efficient execution of their duties by police officers, he will take action to prohibit their membership of such bodies.
§ Mr. HurdNo. Such a prohibition would be an unwarranted restriction on the private lives of police officers. Police regulations require police officers to abstain from any activity which is likely to interfere with the impartial discharge of their duties. Failure to comply with this requirement is a disciplinary offence and any specific evidence of such failure should be brought to the attention of the authorities in the usual way.