§ 15. Mr. Lubbockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last year a person charged with being drunk and incapable was subsequently found to be ill.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis does not keep separate records of the occasions on which a person charged with being drunk and incapable is subsequently found to be ill, nor does my right hon. Friend receive this information from other police forces. I regret, therefore, that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available.
§ Mr. LubbockIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware of a recent case where a person arrested on a charge of being drunk and disorderly subsequently died in his cell? In view of the gravity of this occurrence, does he not consider that the regulations prescribing medical examination of an accused person should be thoroughly tightened up?
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeI am not aware of that case. If the hon. Member will send me particulars, I shall certainly look into it. The Commissioner assures my right hon. Friend that the number of cases in which someone is accused of being drunk and incapable and it subsequently turns out that the condition is due to illness is very small indeed. Whenever there is reason to suspect that any person arrested for being drunk is ill, a doctor is called as a matter of practice.