§ 13. Captain Sir William Brassasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the increasing number of assaults in the Metropolitan Police area during the black-out; and what steps he is taking through the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to put an end to these crimes?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to cases of robbery with violence and assaults with intent to rob. In the first three months of this year the number which occurred in the Metropolitan Police District both indoors and in the streets, during black-out hours, showed a slight increase as compared with the corresponding period of 1942, namely 45 as against 42, but there was no increase in the number occurring in the streets. As I have previously stated, all possible steps are being taken by the police to prevent these offences, and they 786 continue to be successful in detecting and bringing to justice a large proportion of the offenders.