§ 35. Mr. THORNEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can see his way clear to grant the same authority to the West Ham Borough Council and other Metropolitan boroughs to arrange and organise flag days on the same provisions as agreed to by provincial boroughs in conjunction with the chief constables for those areas?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Captain Crookshank)The power to regulate street collections is vested by Statute in the police authority. In the Metropolitan Police District the Commissioner of Police is responsible for giving permits on the advice of an advisory committee. As I stated on the 3rd instant in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Mr. Lewis), the Commissioner is considering the position with the local authorities including the West Ham Borough Council.
§ Mr. THORNEDo I understand it will be no good trying to persuade the hon. and gallant Gentleman to alter his mind in this matter?
Captain CROOKSHANKThe h[...]n. Gentleman had better wait and see first how the Commissioner and the local authority get on.