HC Deb 24 July 1969 vol 787 c2125
28. Mr. Taney

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions the police research and development branch has reached from its study of the reports from various police forces on the use of hidden television cameras for the prevention of crime in urban communities.

Mr. Elystan Morgan

The results so far are inconclusive.

Mr. Tilney

Whatever may be thought about "Big Brother looking on", does not the Minister agree that the fear of being found out deters many criminals, and should not every possible modern gadget be used to try to reduce crime?

Mr. Morgan

The theory proposed by the hon. Gentleman seems sound, but the pattern which emerged from the experiments was in no way a consistent one.