§ Sir J. REMNANTasked the Home Secretary how many hours a police officer attached to this House must be on duty before he is entitled to any sustenance allowance, and how much he is entitled to?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANUnder the present arrangement the officers in question receive a special allowance whether or not they are detained beyond the normal duty hours. The circumstances in which they would be entitled to refreshment 3207W allowance when the present special allowance has been withdrawn, will be governed by Regulation 71 of the Police Regulations, a copy of which I will send to the hon. and gallant Baronet. As he will see, the payment of the allowance does not depend merely on the number of hours for which a man is retained on duty, but I may say generally that when a man is detained at the House beyond his normal duty period so that he is put to expense to obtain a meal, the regulation would be regarded as applicable.
§ Sir J. REMNANTasked the Home Secretary if he will himself consider the question of withdrawing the 1s. per day special allowance to police officers attached for duty to this House before it is carried into effect?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have considered this question. The shilling a day has been paid to men on duty, not only in the Houses of Parliament, but also in Government offices, museums, etc. It is not an overtime or refreshment allowance, but is payable for every day on which a man is employed on such duty, whether his hours are abnormal or not. Now that provision has been made in the general Police Regulations for the grant of "time off" or allowances to any men employed for abnormal hours, there appears to be no justification for continuing the grant to the officers in question of a special allowance for which officers employed elsewhere are not eligible. The retention of the allowance would be contrary to the principles laid down by the Desborough Committee; its abolition was recommended by the Geddes Committee, and I can find no grounds for departing from the decision.