HC Deb 17 March 1960 vol 619 cc1463-5
23. Mr. Tomney

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given to the police with regard to traffic movements in Lime Grove, W.12, while a British Broadcasting Corporation film unit was operating there from midnight on Sunday, 14th February, to 5 a.m. on Monday, 15th February.

Mr. Renton

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that no special police dispositions were required on this occasion.

Mr. Tomney

That is all very well, but police permission was sought for the road to be closed. This action resulted in the B.B.C. keeping my constituents awake half the night—people who have to go to work early in the morning. The police ought not to assist in this "midnight madness" in my constituency. Is the Home Secretary aware that relations between the B.B.C. and my constituents and the local authority over this and similar issues are just about as bad as they could be? Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that I am "having a go" at him only because I cannot get a Question past the Table to the Postmaster-General? Will he give an undertaking, or consult with the Postmaster-General, to see that this kind of thing is not repeated because, although the B.B.C. offered apologies, there is no assurance from the B.B.C. that this kind of thing will not be repeated?

Mr. Renton

I am sorry to find myself the accidental victim of the hon. Member's wrath. It is not for me to convey representations to the Postmaster-General about matters over which he has no control. The only complaint was received at twelve minutes past 3 a.m. That complaint was very easily dealt with because at that time the shooting of this film had in fact ceased. The position is that Lime Grove is a very quiet one-way street where there is no traffic. Prima facie, it was a reasonable place for the taking of this film and the police were on patrol, so, if there were any question of nuisance arising, they would have been able to deal with it.

Mr. Tomney

The hon. and learned Gentleman is either crazy or just does not know—or both. Lime Grove is certainly a one-way street. The B.B.C. occupies it by parking cars—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member must not allow the recital to his supplementary Question to be too long.

Mr. Tomney

What I am trying to do is to make sure that the questions and the answers are understood by the people concerned. Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the action by the Corporation monopolised the whole of the road with the parking of cars, constant to-ing and fro-ing all night long until the early hours and the accelerating and starting-up of cars? This latest action in promoting a rock-and-roll film at 3 o'clock in the morning is a/bout as much as my constituents can stand. They want no more of it.