§ Mr. Berryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police drivers were suspended from duty on account of accidents during the years 1964, 1965, and 1966; how many of these were directly involved in accidents themselves; how many of these were subsequently discover to be innocent of any driving offence; and what loss of pay was suffered by those found innocent of a driving offence.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsMetropolitan police officers involved in accidents while driving police vehicles are not suspended from duty on that account. They may be transferred to other duties pending inquiries, but this does not involve reducing their pay. To obtain the other information requested would involve detailed examination of reports about individual accidents, and I do not think that this would be justified.
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§ Mr. Berryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars and motor-cycles belonging to the Metropolitan Police have exceeded 50,000 miles; in what years these were first registered; and by which divisions they are used.
§ Mr. Roy Jenkins361 cars and 115 motor cycles.
METROPOLITAN POLICE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE EXCEEDED 50,000 MILES Year of registration Cars Motor cycles 1960 … … 2 15 1961 … … 18 13 1962 … … 25 5 1963 … … 110 74 1964 … … 111 8 1965 … … 92 — 1966 … … 3 — The distribution of those used in Divisions is as follows:
Divisions Cars Motor cycles A … … 2 — B … … 10 — C … … 4 — D … … 7 — E … … 9 — F … … 4 — G … … 9 3 H … … 7 — J … … 13 8 K … … 17 5 L … … 11 3 M … … 8 — N … … 7 3 P … … 15 10 Q … … 16 5 R … … 13 3 S … … 14 10 T … … 15 9 V … … 12 6 W … … 10 1 X … … 19 19 Y … … 19 9 Z … … 15 7
§ Mr. Berryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much training in small arms members of the mobile Metropolitan Police Force receive.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsA proportion of Metropolitan Police officers, both mobile and on foot, are trained in the use of firearms. In 1966 the training comprised an average of 4 hours' instruction, including firing practice. Plans to increase the amount of training provided are under consideration.