HC Deb 16 April 1929 vol 227 cc94-6
17. Sir R. THOMAS

asked the Home Secretary, in view of the increase in the number of car thefts, and of the various outrages by motor bandits, whether he will approach local police authorities for the purpose of establishing throughout the country, at suitable points, e.g., on all main roads leading out of London, observation posts manned continuously through the whole 24 hours and in telephonic communication with the police, in order to facilitate tracing particular motor vehicles when circumstances require it?

Sir V. HENDERSON

My right hon. Friend could not see his way to recommend any scheme exactly on the lines suggested. Arrangements, however, to serve very much the same purpose have been made by Chief Officers of Police in a number of districts and are being extended.

Sir R. THOMAS

As the hon. and gallant Member cannot make a recommendation on the lines suggested in the question, can he suggest any other lines?

Sir V. HENDERSON

I have just informed the hon. Baronet. I said that we are carrying out suggestions on other lines.

Sir R. THOMAS

Will the hon. and gallant Member tell us what those lines are?

Sir V. HENDERSON

I should have thought that it would be obvious, ever to the hon. Baronet, that, if you want to catch a thief, the best way is not to broadcast the method beforehand.

Sir R. THOMAS

Is the hon. and gallant Member treating the House in an honourable way by making any suggestion of the kind? Is he not required to answer a reasonable question, and not always make these evasive replies?

Sir V. HENDERSON

The hon. Baronet is extraordinarily ignorant of police methods. We cannot possibly publish instructions given to the police as to the action they are to take to stop a criminal from escaping along a particular road or in a particular way? To do so would be to defeat the ends of justice.

Mr. W. THORNE

Is the hon. and

Estimated numbers of Workpeople insured against Unemployment in Great Britain.
Date. Males. Females. Total.
July, 1914 … … … Not available. 2,237,000
July, 1928 … … … 8,460,700 3,159,300 11,629,000
March, 1929* … … … 8,520,000 3,178,000 11,698,000
* Provisional estimate only. (Figures for July, 1913, are not available.)

In 1913 and 1914 the scheme of unemployment insurance applied only to persons

gallant Member aware that during the dispute in 1926 no cars were pinched?

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