asked the Home Secretary what was the average remuneration of a Metropolitan police constable below the rank of sergeant before the War, including pay, accommodation or rent allowance, uniform, boot allowance, medical attendance, and the value of pension rights; what will be the corresponding figure after the grant of the additional war bonus recently announced by him; what was the average weekly pay received in money of a constable of that rank before the War; and what will be the average pay, with bonuses, of a constable with a wife and four children after the additional increases take effect?
supplied the following particulars:(1) The average weekly remuneration of a married Metropolitan police constable before the War:
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Pay | 1 | 14 | 7 |
| Rent Aid | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Uniform | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Boots | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Coals | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Medical Attendance | 0 | 0 | 3* |
| Estimated Value of Pension Rights | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| £2 | 7 | 0 |
(2) The corresponding figure after the grant of the additional War bonus recently announced:
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Pay | 1 | 17 | 2 |
| Rent Aid | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Uniform | 0 | 2 | 10† |
| Boots | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Coals | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Medical Attendance | 0 | 0 | 3* |
| Estimated value of Pension Rights | 0 | 8 | 6 |
| War Bonus | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Children's Allowance (average two children) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| £3 | 8 | 9 |
(3) The average weekly receipts in money of a constable before the War were:
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Pay | 1 | 14 | 7 |
| Rent Aid | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Boots | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Coals | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| £1 | 17 | 1 |
(4) The average weekly receipts in money, including bonuses, of a constable with a wife and four children, including the recent increases, are:
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Pay | 1 | 17 | 2 |
| Rent Aid | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Boots | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Coals | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| War bonus | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Allowance for four children | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| £3 | 2 | 2 |
* Under the heading Medical Attendance, sick leave on pay for an average period of 11 days in each year is not taken into account.
† The uniform supplied is the same as before the War but the cost to the Metropolitan Police Fund has increased.
asked the Home Secretary what is the estimated cost of each of the increases of pay and war bonuses received by the Metropolitan Police since the outbreak of war, including that recently announced by him; what is the total; and how much of that sum will be payable by the Treasury and by the ratepayers, respectively?
The following figures show the estimated cost of the several increases of pay and war bonuses received by the Metropolitan Police since the outbreak of war. They are based on the present strength of the Metropolitan Police Farce (17,277), which is less than its strength at the beginning of the War, and less than its strength will be when men serving in His Majesty's dockyards, etc., and with the forces are returned:
| £ | |
| General increase in pay of Force as from 31st August, 1914 | 128,000 |
| War bonus of 3s. per week to all ranks as from 15th March, 1915 | 134,000 |
| Children's allowance of 1s. a week per child, provided pay and bonus did not exceed £3 3s. a week as from 2nd October, 1916 | 56,000 |
| Wife allowance of 1s. and increase of 6d. per week in children's allowance, provided pay and bonus did not exceed £3 3s. a week as from 5th March, 1917. The limit was raised to £5 a week as from 30th April, 1917. (Additional cost.) | 62,000 |
| Boot allowance to all ranks increased to is. a week in place of 8½d. to inspectors and 6d. to sergeants and constables as from 14th May, 1917 | 21,000 |
| War bonus to all ranks increased from 3s. to 8s., to include all other war bonuses except 1s. 6d. per child as from 4th June, 1917. (Additional cost.) | 190,000 |
| War bonus increased from 8s. to 12s. and children's allowance from is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. per week as from 17th December, 1917. (Additional cost.) | 237,700 |
| £828,000 |
The number of men now in the service of Government Departments is 3,145, and of the above total of £828,000 a sum of £152,100 will be paid directly by the Treasury.
The remaining sum of £676,000 will fall on the Metropolitan Police Fund, the income of which is derived mainly from the Metropolitan Police rate, which is relieved by a contribution from the Exchequer Contribution Account nearly equivalent to a 4d. rate. If the Metropolitan Police rate is increased next year by id., the cost of the police, including the charge of £676,000, will fall on the rates and on the Exchequer in the proportion of 8d. to 4d.