§ 79. Mr. Orbachasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the comparative figures or the percentage increase or decrease in the number of police and military employed in connection with the State Opening of Parliament for the years 1938 and 1946.
§ 44. Mr. Garry Allighanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of constables on duty for the opening of Parliament on 12th November and the number of constables on duty for the opening of Parliament on 15th August, 1945.
§ Mr. EdeThe numbers of police of all ranks on duty in 1938, 1945, and this year were 2522, 1841, and 1832 respectively. I am not in a position to state the numbers of troops on duty.
§ Mr. JannerIn view of what he has stated will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he does not deprecate strongly the sensational publicity which has been given to the precautions which have been taken recently, and may I also ask him whether he is satisfied that the Jewish communities strongly condemn terrorist acts?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe Question merely asked for the numbers of police and nothing more.
§ Mr. JannerOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, may I ask you to revise your Ruling in this matter because the Question on the Order Paper asks whether more or fewer police were used on this occasion, and—
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is exactly what I pointed out, and it was a simple Question which required a simple answer.