§ Mr. JESSONasked the Home Secretary whether a statement was issued to the Metropolitan Police Force during the late police dispute promising them an increase of pay of 13s. per week, together with a war bonus of 12s. per week and 2s. 6d. per week for each child, and a non-contributory pension scheme for the widows of all members of the Metropolitan Police Force, including all ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department and the police pensioners who were recalled; whether this statement was reissued, after the trouble was over, but excluding the police pensioners who had rejoined the service upon the above terms; and, if so, can he give the reason for this apparent breach of faith towards those police pensioners who responded to this call to rejoin the force when they could have obtained more lucrative employment elsewhere?
§ Mr. SHORTTI think my hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. Under the terms on which the pensioners rejoined the force they continued to draw their full pensions, and received in addition a special rate of non-pensionable pay. Those who were serving on the 31st August, 1918, when the Order in question was issued, received the additional 13s. a week, and were included in the new scheme of pensions for widows under the Police (Pensions) Act, 1918.