§ Mr. FOREMANasked the Home Secretary whether policemen with 26 years' service and on special duty at the end of the period have either to retire or to resume duty on the streets; whether, since special duty has unfitted them for the latter alternative, they usually resign; and why in all suitable cases it is not possible to continue them on special duty and thus diminish the heavy charges on the pension fund?
§ Mr. SHORTTAs I explained to the hon. and gallant Member for the Holborn Division (Sir J. Remnant) on the 19th July, it has been decided that police officers on special duty who are entitled to retire on full pension are to be transferred to ordinary duty in order that other deserving men may have an opportunity of obtaining special duty appointments. As the arrangement will not come into operation until 31st December, it is impossible to say whether it will lead to the retirement of the men concerned as suggested in the question.