§ 24. Mr. DORANasked the Home Secretary if he will consider issuing instructions empowering the Metropolitan Police to prohibit crowds from collecting outside churches where weddings, funerals and funeral services are being held, owing to the serious effect such crowds have upon traffic arrangements, for the distance of 30 yards?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe powers of the Metropolitan Police for dealing with crowds which assemble on these or any other occasions are sufficient, and the Commissioner of Police informs me that the police are well aware of the necessity 328 of preventing obstruction as far as possible. At the same time the interest of the public in these functions cannot be entirely disregarded; moreover, the circumstances vary a great deal, and I do not think it would be desirable to lay down any hard and fast rule such as that suggested.
§ Mr. DORANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the great congestion which takes place at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Brompton Oratory, and at St. Marks, that pedestrians are forced among the traffic in order to get round the crowds, and that only a few days ago two people narrowly missed losing their lives in Charing Cross Road? I have spoken to the police personally about the matter.