asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage the use of the Special Constabulary for patrolling areas particularly subject to vandalism.

Special constables are under the control of the local chief officer of police, who has complete discretion in respect of their operational use. In most forces the duties of special constables include patrolling, usually in company with a regular officer; and I am sure that chief officers of police have well in mind the part that police patrolling can play in countering vandalism.