§ 23. Mr. BECKETTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the public who complained during last year against rudeness or offensiveness by members of the Metropolitan Police Force were written to informing them that no steps would be taken, as a summons was to be issued against them?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Clynes)The answer is "none," but in cases where legal proceedings are pending, complainants 2057 are informed that any disciplinary proceedings must await the result of the legal proceedings, but the complaint will be further considered after the legal proceedings, are over, if he so desires.
§ Mr. BECKETTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that those letters are very common, and that though a person has committed an offence and is to be summoned for it, that has nothing to do with the perfectly legitimate complaint to Scotland Yard about offensiveness or the part of the police. The two things are not connected.
§ Major The Marquess of TITCHFIELDAre not the police force very good mannered?
§ Mr. BECKETTIs it not a fact that, if the Noble Lord shed the distinctiveness lent by his garb, he might find some of them behave very differently?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs it not a fact that most of these complaints are completely unfounded?
§ 24. Mr. BECKETTasked the Home Secretary how many of the 324 complaints received from members of the public against offensive action and language by members of the Metropolitan police force were followed by the issue of a summons against the complainant?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe answer is 38.