§ 43. Mr. Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to deal with the increased number of armed assaults in the Metropolitan police area, which were 31 per cent. more in 1968 than in 1967.
§ Mr. CallaghanThe Commissioner informs me that the investigation and clearing up of cases involving these serious offences is receiving the particular attention of the Flying Squad and of the regional crime squads. I take this opportunity of reminding the House that Parliament has given the courts powers to impose heavy penalties for such crimes.
§ Mr. LiptonThat may be so, but will my right hon. Friend do what he can—I know it is very limited—to ensure that when these cases come before the courts very heavy penalties are imposed, and, second, that some further tightening-up is carried out with regard to the sale of weapons generally?
§ Mr. CallaghanI do not think I can comment on the practice of the courts in imposing penalties, but as regards the use and possession of firearms there has been a substantial tightening-up in recent years, including the Firearms Act of 1965, the Criminal Justice Act of 1967, and the Firearms Act of 1968, but they are, alas, still easy to come by.
§ Mr. HoggIs not the increase in the number of armed assaults with intent to rob, and armed robberies, in the metropolitan area particularly disappointing in the light of the fact that Parliament has given the Government this increased power to control the use of firearms? Can the right hon. Gentleman offer any explanation for these deteriorating figures?
§ Mr. CallaghanI think that we must be careful about reading too much into one year's figures. If, for example, we consider the number of offences of robbery and assault with intent to rob, we see that between 1967 and 1968 these decreased by a little over 5 per cent. I think that we must have a run of these figures and put them together.