§ 34. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement giving details of changes made in the hours, wages and conditions of employment of the police since October, 1964, of the number and types of new buildings provided, vehicles and electronic aids and to what extent manpower recruitment has improved.
§ Mr. CallaghanThe most important changes in conditions of service include a reduction in the standard working week from 42 to 40 hours; an increase in pay by over 28 per cent.; and increases in most allowances, such as rent allowance.
Examples of the increased allowances are:
- (i) A London constable's maximum rent allowance has risen from £4 10s. 0d. to £7 10s. 0d. a week, effectively free of tax;
- (ii) The detective duty allowance for a constable has increased from £86 to £116 a year;
- (iii) Refreshment, subsistence and lodging allowances have increased since 1964 by amounts varying between 50 and 86 per cent.
In England and Wales the numbers and types of new buildings provided, including major adaptations, are:
Force Headquarters 21 Divisional Headquarters 58 Sub Divisional Headquarters 74 Section Stations 35 Training Centres, Hostels, etc. 18 Houses 5,575 The number of vehicles in use has increased by 6,617, of personal radio sets by some 23,000, and of vehicle radio sets by at least 3,000.
Manpower has shown an increase of 11,836.
§ 41. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature and extent of the armour available to and worn by policemen in pursuit of 266W armed and other persons suspected of crime; and, in view of recent murders of policemen, if he will set up an expert inquiry to devise means of reducing policemen's risks and saving them from injury and death.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesSome police forces hold small stocks of bullet-proof vests, shields and goggles. My right hon. Friend is considering, with chief officers of police, whether there are further precautions which could usefully be taken.
§ 48. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the amount of salary, in weekly average, paid to policemen in the years 1938, 1948, 1958, and 1969, respectively; and if he will give comparable figures for men working in the manufacturing industry.
§ Mr. CallaghanFollowing are the available figures:
Weekly wage rate of Metropolitan police constable (excluding overtime and rent allowance) Average weekly earnings in manufacturing industry (including overtime and bonus payments) £ s. d. £ s. d. 1938 4 0 0 3 10 11 1948 5 17 0 7 3 4 1958 12 15 0 13 5 5 1969 23 15 0 25 10 10 Notes:
(1) London Rent Allowance: maximum (1938) 17s. 6d. per week; maximum (1970) £7 18s. 0d. per week.
(2) A recent sample analysis indicated that at the end of 1969 the average gross weekly emolument of Metropolitan uniformed constables drawing rent allowance was £35 10s. 0d.