151. Major Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that a large number of War Reserve Police are due to be discharged from the police force in Scotland at the end of June; and whether, in view of the great shortage of police in Scotland and the increasing crime wave, he will consider retaining the services of such reserve policemen as desire to continue until the manpower position becomes easier.
§ Mr. Westwood:Police authorities and chief constables were informed in December last that they were at liberty to employ on short term engagements such numbers of police war reserves as might be necessary to bridge the gap between the authorised and actual strength of the regular police, and to renew these engagements from time to time as might be necessary for the same purpose. I have no reason to believe that the operation of this arrangement, which leaves discharges to be effected locally according to local needs, is likely to result in premature discharges, either at the end of June or at any other time.
§ 156. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the present regulations governing the transfer of members of the Police War Reserve to the regular police force; and if he is prepared to offer permanent employment in the police force to men who have given satisfactory service in the Police War Reserve and who joined that service before attaining the age of 40.
§ Mr. Westwood:The conditions governing the recruitment of persons into the regular police are prescribed in Regulations 7 and 8 of the Police (Scotland) Regulations, and include conditions as to age, height, health, education, 180W etc. As regards age, the condition is that a recruit must he under 30 unless he has had service in the Armed Forces or as a police auxiliary, in which case they must not be more than 35. In all cases it is within the discretion of chief constables to confine their selection of recruits to persons who are below either of these maximum limits, and I understand that the great majority of chief constables are now in fact recruiting only persons who are under 30. In all the circumstances I do not feel that I would be justified in increasing the age limit for recruitment either from the auxiliary police or from the Armed Forces.