§ MR. H. H. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the refusal to offer an apology to Madame d'Angely is due to the intention of the Government to empower the Royal Commission which 911 is about to be appointed to reopen the charge against her and to review the magistrate's decision.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The Royal Commission cannot, of course, reverse the magistrate's decision dismissing the charge against Madame d'Angely. But I must remind the hon. Member that grave charges have been made in this House and elsewhere against the three policemen who gave evidence. The Commission, will, no doubt, investigate those charges without delay, and I cannot anticipate the results of the investigation by any further statement.
MR. HERBERT (Buckinghamshire, Wycombe)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any precedent for an apology being tendered by the police, by a magistrate, or by the Home Secretary, to any person against whom a charge has been improperly brought in a police court.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) There have from time to time been cases where the Secretary of State or the Commissioner has expressed regret to the defendant that a charge should have been brought against him, if after inquiry he was satisfied that the police had acted improperly in bringing the charge.