§ 33. Mr. DALTONasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that on 25th May last the Honourable Frank Pakenham, fellow and tutor of Christ Church, Oxford, was violently assaulted and injured by a number of Fascist stewards at a public meeting and received no assistance, either at the time of the assault or afterwards, from the police; and whether he will introduce legislation to give greater control to the Home Office over the provincial police in these and similar cases?
§ Sir J. SIMONI received from Mr. Pakenham an account of his experiences at the meeting in question, but he particularly asked that his statement should be treated as confidential. I am communicating with Mr. Pakenham, and if he no longer desires that the statements he sent me should be so treated, I shall at once submit them to the Chief Constable of the Oxford City Police and ask for his observations. As regards the second part of the question, the essential feature of the police service of this country is that it is and always has been organised on a local basis, and any proposal tending to centralise that control in the executive government would be greatly resented by the responsible local authorities and could be justified only on the strongest grounds of public policy. Allegations against the conduct of the provincial police fall to be dealt with by the local disciplinary authority, which in a city or borough is the watch committee. I should not feel justified in proposing so far reaching an amendment of the existing law as is suggested.
§ Mr. DALTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware—I am sure he is—that the victim of this cowardly assault has published an account of his experiences in the "Times," and does that not furnish sufficient prima facie evidence for an inquiry into the conduct of the Chief Constable of Oxford?
§ Sir J. SIMONI saw the letter from Mr. Pakenham, which was a most proper letter, but he gave me a much more detailed account, and naturally I paid great attention to it, and I should like to ascertain whether in the circumstances he would like me to communicate with the Oxford police. If so, of course, I 2224 will do so and ask for their observations, but I must point out that the Home Secretary has not got the function of making inquiries about police incidents all over the country. I am not shirking any responsibility, but I must have regard to my position, my well understood position, in reference to the Metropolitan Police. My powers in relation to the county and borough police are different from my powers in relation to the Metropolitan Police.