§ Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on the negotiations on police pay.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland and me, met representatives of the three Police Federations on 7th March and invited them to return to the Police Council, on an informal basis if need be. Four meetings have taken place under the chairmanship of Sir John Nightingale, outside the Police Council, with representatives of interested parties. At the meeting on 25th April proposals for a settlement within the framework of phase 2 of the pay policy, endorsed by the Official Side of the Police Council, were put forward. I understand these are now being considered by the Federations. I hope they will decide to accept them, because they represent the limit to which we can go within the framework of phase 2.