asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the reduction of Sergeant Edwards, of Paddington Green, after 20 years' service, to the rank of constable will entail any loss in his pension; if so, can he state the difference in the amount; and can he give particulars of the allegations that were made against this officer?

If Edwards retires as a constable instead of as a station sergeant, the loss of pension will be between £40 and £50 a year. He was found guilty on charges of frequenting premises on several occasions which he knew to have been used as a brothel, and of failing to report his having been called to those premises to deal with a drunken woman, in connection with which a complaint was made against him.

Does not the hon. and gallant Gentleman think that this loss of pension is an extremely serious thing for a man like this, and will he not consider whether some remission of that loss of pension could be made?

The matter has already been considered.

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman really think it just that, after 20 years' service, one or two lapses should be sufficient to condemn a man to the loss of his pension altogether? Is that a just punishment?

If it had not been considered to be a just punishment it would not have been inflicted.