§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What are the instructions given to the Metropolitan Police with regard to the claim of an independent witness to be admitted to a station House, in order to a make a statement in favour of a person in custody, when the latter is charged?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)There are no instructions beyond a General Police Order to the effect that persons who come to a police station as witnesses when a charge is being made are not to be taken into custody or charged with being concerned in the offence, so that there may be nothing to prevent persons from appearing who can give important evidence; and so that there may be no appearance of a desire by the police to suppress evidence in any case, especially when the charge is concerned with the conduct of the police themselves.