§ Mr. H. MORRISONasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the burden of the rates and of the decreasing cost of living, he will allow the question of the 1451W payment of the additional police bonus to be left to the discretion of the local authorities, provided their police force is maintained in an efficient state?
§ Mr. SHORTTIf the cost of living continues to fall, the bonus will automatically disappear. The scheme has been adopted by the majority of the police authorities, and if the bonus is paid by some and not by others there is obviously danger of discontent in the forces who do not receive it. But I am aware of the difficulties in which local authorities are placed by the increasing burden on the rates, and I propose at an early date to bring the whole question before the Police Council, on which the police authorities and the various ranks of the police will be fully represented, in the hope that some solution of the difficulty can be found.