Mr. John Hallasked the Minister of Labour whether, having regard to the shortage of men in the Metropolitan and certain other police forces and of the urgent need to bring them up to full strength, he will arrange to defer indefinitely the call-up for National Service of the police cadets.
§ Mr. WatkinsonYes. The Government have decided that, subject to an upper limit of 2,000 a year, police cadets should not be called up for National Service so long as they continueto serve as cadets with, and subsequently as members of, a regular police force. This decision has been taken having regard not only to the vital part played by this disciplined and uniformed force in the preservation of law and order in peace-time, but also the heavy burdens which would fall on them in the unhappy event of war. Should such a cadet or policeman leave the police under the age of 26 years, he would immediately become liable for National Service.