HC Deb 23 June 1967 vol 748 cc345-6W
Mr. Alan Lee Williams

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will make a statement on the number of special constables recruited in the Metropolitan Police district for the years 1964–65, and 1965–66 and the latest figures for 1967, and on the cost to public funds;

(2) if he is satisfied that special constables in the Metropolitan area are being allowed to make the maximum contribution in assisting regular police in the performance of their duties; and what recent proposals he has considered in this respect;

(3) whether he will consider the establishment of an auxiliary traffic police division in the Metropolitan area composed of special constables for duties over weekends and during public holidays, to be used as a unit, and not merely to supplement the regular police;

(4) whether he will seek to make arrangements to draw the attention of ex-members of the Territorial Army to the need for special constables in the Metropolitan area, in view of the slaughter on our roads.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

The numbers of recruits in the years mentioned were 367, 292 and 119 (to mid-June) respectively. The cost of recruitment is not readily identifiable, partly because the work falls to regular officers who have other duties and partly because the publicity material used is provided for the use of all forces.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that members of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary are in his view giving the maximum assistance to their regular colleagues, within the limitations of their numbers and the voluntary and occasional nature of their service. The Commissioner of Police appreciates the value of their loyal and devoted work and is always ready to consider ways in which further assistance might be given to the regular force; but he does not think that it would be practicable at the present time to set up a self-contained auxiliary traffic division of special constables.

In response to a request from the Commissioner of Police, Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations within the Metropolitan Police District have already drawn the attention of their members to the recruitment needs of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary.

Forward to