§ 31. Mr. Edward Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women, respectively, have been reported in the Metropolitan Police area as missing from their homes, without trace, during 1948; and what was the average number during the periods 1945–47 and 1930–39.
§ Mr. EdeThe number of persons. including those deliberately concealing their whereabouts, in 1948 was 1,241, of whom 20 men and six women are as yet 2266 untraced. The annual average of the three years 1945–47 was 1,613 of whom 15 men and seven women are still untraced; that for the years 1938 and 1939 was 3,552, all of whom were traced. I regret earlier figures are not available.
§ Mr. EvansHas my right hon. Friend any figures for the rest of the country? Can he give us any information to show to what extent the Metropolitan police area is typical?
§ Mr. Cecil PooleIn cases where men are deliberately concealing their whereabouts because there are court orders for maintenance against them and where the police are in possession of information about those whereabouts, can the police make the facts known to those who have to enforce orders?
§ Mr. EdeIf there is a court order and the police know the whereabouts of the man concerned, the order is served. When I say deliberately concealing their whereabouts," I expect they include a number of people of fugitive temperament who manage to conceal their whereabouts even from the police.