§ Mr. Prittasked the Home Secretary in how many cases applications for the collection of subscriptions were approved during the year 1942 under the Metropolitan Police General Orders and Regulations, Section 5, paragraph 161 and Section 6, paragraphs 123 and 124, and in how many cases such applications were refused; why an application for a subscription to raise funds to meet the expense of testing before the courts the right of certain police officers to pensions under the Police Act, 1921, was refused; and whether he will now approve it?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI am informed that during 1942, 273 applications were approved under the first mentioned section of General Orders and 18 applications were approved under the second. No applications under either section were refused. The application referred to in the second part of the Question stands on a different footing. It was an application by the Police Federation under the mistaken impression that it might be possible, by some action in the court, to test the question whether Parliament had acted legally in enacting the provision in the Police Pensions Act, 1921, under which the Act is applied to men who joined a police force after the 1st July, 1919. As this was not a question of law which could be brought before a court, the Federation were informed that authority could not be given to the raising of a fund for the purpose suggested.