Orders of the Day — Police (Appeals) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 19 January 1943.

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Mr. Amman:

I think it is not inappropriate to point out that we have here another instance of somewhat express legislation. In the case of the previous Bill we were told that it was as recently as September last that a Question was asked in the House which gave rise to that Bill, which has now passed its Second Reading; and I understand that in the case of the Bill now before us progress was even more rapid, because it is since September that my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley (Mr. Collindridge) asked the Question which has now resulted in the appearance of this Bill. I congratulate both the Ministers on their expedition. The Bill is small, but is of tremendous importance to the persons concerned. I find it a rather curious full turn of the wheel that the accident of events should have put me into this position this afternoon. The Bill takes my mind back to the trouble we had with the police during the last war, when members of that body sat on the wall of 10, Downing Street, and serenaded the right hon. Gentleman whom we felicitated this afternoon on having reached his 80th birthday. Out of that position grew the police organisation. I mention all this only because I had the privilege of being the first treasurer of the Police and Prison Officers' Union, which was then formed. It was dangerous for them to organise, and events have since proved the wisdom of having collective representation even within Government departments. The State and the Department have had much advantage thereby.

The Bill brings the police into full line now with the Civil Service. I remember going through this phase in another Department of the public service in order to win the right of appeal to the head of the Department. That right was conceded after a very brief struggle, incidentally, I may say, arising out of the fact that I myself was suspended from that service for venturing to appeal to the head of the service. I brought the whole matter to the struggle which resulted in that right being conceded. I wonder whether the right hon. Gentleman is not a little mistaken in the reply which he gave a short time ago. I imagine that in any case, before the appeal comes about, a man will have protested to his immediate chiefs and will have found out whether the decision is likely to be revoked before he goes a step further. This is done now right throughout the Service. I welcome the Bill because it puts the finishing touch to the right of appeal that these men have, about everything which is not a matter of ordinary routine discipline. On matters of major importance they have the right to carry the appeal to their chief. I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman did not give way to his impulse to consider placing a demarcation as to the amount of the fine, because I do not think the men are so much concerned about the amount of money they have to pay, as about what a fine means to their escutcheon or their record. When the first flush of this legislation has gone, I do not imagine that appeals will be so many as to overwhelm the Home Office. We cannot now discuss the position of the auxiliary police, as it has no relation to the Bill. The right hon. Gentleman should, however, be congratulated on his wisdom and his liberality of outlook in regard to these matters.

We are doing a simple act of duty in this connection. We demand a very high standard of conduct and discipline from our police, force, and it is fair that there should be an equally high standard of defence for a man who may fall into trouble for excess use of his duty. Such cases may not be serious enough for dismissal or to affect promotion, but to a certain extent they will affect a man's personal prestige. In small boroughs or districts, the fact that a man may have fallen into disfavour may have serious results for him, and if he has cause for appeal the Bill gives him a fair chance to make his position clear. From that standpoint we are justified by the fact that our police are accepted all over the world as a standard to which most people look up with pride. At the same time, the foundation of good discipline is confidence in the disciplinary machine. If a man should fall into difficulty he must know he has a right to fair dealing and fair consideration. He must not only feel that justice has been done, but must know that he has every opportunity to secure justice. To secure that end is worth the passing of the Bill.