MR. BRYNMOR JONES (Swansea District)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an inspector of police, on the 16th December last, arrested one Bourtzev (a Russian refugee), at or near the British Museum, on a charge that he had committed an offence under The Offences against the Person Act, 1861; and whether the same inspector, or some other officer or officers of the Metropolitan Police force, on the same day, opened the outer door of the house in which Bourtzev had lodged by means of a key taken from Bourtzev after his arrest, and made a search in his room, and seized divers papers and things belonging to Bourtzev; if so, had any search warrant been issued to the officer or officers making the search, and by whom?
§ THE HOME SECRETARYThe facts are correctly stated in the Question. It is not the practice when a warrant of arrest is issued to issue as well a warrant to search the premises of the accused. The search is made as a matter of ordinary police duty.