HC Deb 27 October 1949 vol 468 cc1506-8
36. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of assault have been reported to the police alleged to have taken place during this year in the London Boroughs of Hackney, Shoreditch and Bethnal Green; how many people have been reported assaulted; in how many cases have charges been made; and with what result.

Mr. Ede

Four hundred and sixty-five cases of assault have been reported to the police in these three boroughs during the period from 1st January to 16th October, 1949. This total includes a large proportion of cases of common assault and of fighting between husbands and wives. Four hundred and eighty-seven persons were reported to have been assaulted. Charges have been brought against 54 persons. The charge was found proved in 36 cases and was dismissed in three; 15 cases are outstanding.

Mr. Gallacher

Apart from the normal relations which may exist between husband and wife, is the Home Secretary aware that there is great uneasiness in these boroughs, as has been mentioned by many Members, and will he not consider the desirability of setting up an inquiry of some kind to see if means cannot be found to restore confidence to these people?

Mr. Ede

I have no reason to believe that the people in these boroughs have lost confidence in the police. Such information as reaches me is to the contrary, and I do not think there is any need to have an inquiry into the matter.

Mr. Austin

Is my right hon. Friend aware that as the law now stands all His Majesty's subjects, whether they be Catholic or Protestant, Jew or Mohammedan, are entitled to the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the phrase "Liberty of the subject"? Will he therefore see that these freedoms are preserved and secured for the people in these areas?

Mr. Ede

I fully accept that responsibility, and I do my best, in the difficult circumstances prevailing in the East End of London, to discharge it.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Is there any special explanation of the rather odd fact that whereas the police have established that 400 persons were assaulted, there were only 50 prosecutions?

Mr. Ede

These are cases which came to the notice of the police. All the persons assaulted did not desire that there should be prosecutions, and in cases of domestic quarrels, very often, if the police attempted to intervene, they would be as unpopular as anyone else who did so.

Mr. Thurtle

Is my right hon. Friend aware that within my knowledge, as a representative of the East End of London, the people of London have not lost confidence in the integrity of the police? If strong charges are made against the integrity of the police ought not the people who make those charges to be prepared to bring forward evidence, so that it may be inquired into?

Earl Winterton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the great resentment caused by allegations—I am not referring to those made in this House—made by people outside the House of no importance? They have made lying accusations against the police of partiality, and great indignation has been caused by these utterly untrue charges.

Mr. Ede

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a statement on that matter at the end of Questions.

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