§ 91. Colonel MAURICE ALEXANDERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the very large number of people who attended last Saturday's cup final match at Wembley and the heavy list of casualties, whether he will take steps to effectually protect the public in the future and to see that the Football Association and their agents, the Stadium authorities, and transportation companies do not carry to any match a crowd twice the size of the capacity of the ground; whether sufficient police were engaged at Wembley; and, if sufficient in number, if they were wisely distributed?
§ 90. Captain Sir WILLIAM EDGEasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the large number of casualties at the cup final at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday; if he can state who was responsible for the arrangements; if he proposes to call for a police report on the adequacy of the measures taken both to control the crowd and to regulate the traffic; whether the police themselves are consulted as to the measures to be taken on events of this magnitude; whether they were so consulted on this occasion; and, if so, with what result?
§ 92. Mr. BARNESasked the Home Secretary whether he has received an official report of the extraordinary scenes which took place at Wembley on Saturday 1381 last owing to the inadequate arrangements made by the authorities responsible; whether he can state the number of persons injured and if anything can be done to compensate them for the injuries received; and will he undertake to make representations to those responsible for the arrangements at Wembley to ensure that the public are adequately safeguarded at future events which may be held at the Stadium?
§ 93. Mr. J. JONESasked the Home Secretary whether he can make any statement regarding the incidents which took place at the Wembley Stadium on the occasion of the football match last Saturday; and whether, in view of the fact that there were about 1,000 casualties of a more or less serious nature, he will order a public inquiry into the matter?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe arrangements for the admission of spectators and their regulation within the Exhibition grounds were under the control of the British Empire Exhibition authorities. The number of police to be employed within the grounds was settled in consultation with the police authorities; in addition to the police so employed, a large number was held in reserve.
The police were responsible for the regulation of the road traffic and the preservation of order on the approaches to the Exhibition grounds. I believe they dealt successfully with an exceptionally difficult problem.
The casualties which occurred have probably been somewhat exaggerated in the accounts which have appeared in the Press. The number of persons treated by the ambulance staff on the ground for faintness or slight injury was no doubt considerable, but I am informed that in only 22 cases was removal to hospital necessary; in 10 of these the patients were able to proceed to their homes on the same day and only three cases are described as serious. Two police were injured, but not seriously.
So far as regards the Stadium iteslf, the best and most expeditious course, I think, on the information before me, will be for the Exhibition authorities and the police to confer together as to the best measures to provide against any recurrence of last Saturday's incidents. But in view of the possibility of incidents 1382 involving similar risks occurring elsewhere, I am considering the advisability of appointing some form of Committee to examine the general question in all its aspects.
§ Mr. MOSLEYCan the right hon. Gentleman now state how many police were employed and how many were held in reserve?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI could have stated that at any time if the hon. Member had asked me and he might have put a notice on the Paper. I see that I have the figures here. The police available were 12 inspectors, 53 police sergeants, and 530 police constables. I may say that that is more than twice as many as the number that has ever been provided before at any Cup Tie Final.
§ Mr. BARNESCan the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea when he proposes to establish the Committee to which he has referred? Will it be set up immediately or later on?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have to consider what will be the best form, because it is rather a large question and goes beyond this particular incident. I hope that the Exhibition Board and the police authorities will start their consultation at once with regard to this particular case, but the other inquiry is rather a large question, and I shall have to consider what will be the best form for it to take.
§ Mr. MOSLEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that 500 police were sufficient to deal with a crowd of over 200,000 people; and does he still say that the organisation for which he was responsible was in no way to blame?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe number of police supplied is the number asked for by the Exhibition Board, and that is all the police could be expected to do.
§ Mr. MOSLEYIs not the preservation of public order the duty and responsibility of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir ALFRED BUTTIs it not a fact that the number of police was the number asked for by the Management Committee?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have already said so.