Lieutenant-Colonel Sir F. HALLasked the Home Secretary on which police authority does the liability rest with respect to the pension granted to the widows of policemen under the Police Act, 1918, in the case of a police pensioner who, on 1st September last, was serving in a police force other than the force from which he was pensioned; and whether, seeing that there is some doubt in the matter, he will issue instructions for the guidance of police authorities?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe matter is not one on which I have any authority to issue instructions to the police. The question raised is a legal one which can be decided authoritatively only by Court of law, but where the Home Office has been asked by police authorities for guidance, I have been willing to say that, in my opinion, if the pensioner dies while serving, the police authority by which he was reengaged is liable for the widow's pension, if he dies after his service has ceased, the police authority from whom he drew his pension, become liable.