§ Mr. Robert Howarthasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 218W why payment of the pay increases to the police force, agreed several months ago and backdated to 1st September, 1968, has not yet been made.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganAgreement in general terms was reached in the Police Council on 12th November. The Joint Secretaries of the Council then calculated and applied the award in detail to various different scales effective from two different dates. The resulting agreement in detail reached the Home Office on 12th December. Police regulations were then agreed on 27th January with the Joint Secretaries of the Police Council and the local authority and police associations, who must be consulted under statute.
My right hon. Friend signed the regulations on 6th February; they were laid before Parliament on 17th February and came into operation on 19th February.
The procedure has operated for a number of years with the full agreement of the Police Federation and has been regarded by them as necessary to protect their interests. But my right hon. Friend is examining ways of speeding up the procedure in future.