HC Deb 14 July 1977 vol 935 cc759-61
4. Mr. Aitken

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of the Metropolitan Police have been injured in the course of their duties at the Grunwick factory at the latest available date; how many arrests have been made there; and if he will make a statement.

7. Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with police control in cases of mass picketing; and if he has any proposals for amending the laws on picketing

12. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been deployed outside the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories on each day since 27th June.

18. Mr. Goodhart

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been on duty in the vicinity of the Grunwick factory during the industrial dispute there; and what is the estimated extra cost to public funds.

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Merlyn Rees)

Between 13th June and 13th July, 377 people have been arrested in connection with picketing at the Grunwick factory and 243 police officers have been injured. Details of the maximum number of police officers avail- able for duty on each day between 13th June and 27th June were provided in the reply which I gave to a Question by the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe), on 28th June. I will, with permission, circulate details for 28th June to 13th July in the Official Report; but information about costs could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.

Mr. Aitken

In view of those horrific figures, would the right hon. Gentleman like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the courage, restraint, and exemplary dedication to duty of the police? Will he also unequivocally condemn those who actively participated in these terrible, violent demonstrations?

Mr. Rees

I am asked at every Question Time to pay tribute to and to support the police, and I gladly do it. But I prefer to have it taken as read that, as the Minister responsible for the police, I support them on all occasions, otherwise there will come a time when I have missed out and people will think that I have not done so. On the second part of the supplementary question, I condemn anybody who engages in violence at Grunwick or anywhere else.

Mr. Adley

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the violence shown on television has been profoundly disturbing to many people and that people are alarmed that Parliament seems to regard this sort of behaviour as acceptable? Will he take this opportunity to tell the House and the people that he is aware of the disquiet and will do everything in his power to change the law to allay people's fears about this matter?

Mr. Rees

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is considering the law on picketing. I learnt one thing when I was at Grunwick: do not call everybody who is around the gate a picket, because it is a misnomer. There are people there who are not picketing, who are given a name and who are there just to cause trouble. On the whole, they are the ones seen on television.

Mr. Molloy

Does my right hon. Friend agree that for 44 weeks before the fracas commenced the behaviour of the pickets at Grunwick was exemplary and that, if they had had their way and could have sat down and talked about their grievances, the strains imposed on police would never have taken place and neither would the violence spoken of this afternoon? Does he agree that much of the blame for the difficulties caused to the police must be put at the door of the management of Grunwick?

Mr. Rees

What is for sure in all industrial disputes is that at the end of the day people must sit down and talk, because that is how a solution is found. My hon. Friend is absolutely right: there was no trouble at all for a very long time.

Mr. Whitelaw

Does the Secretary of State agree that the police deserve the thanks of the House for the way in which they have carried out their duty of upholding the law passed by this Parliament? If he agrees, will he express to the Commissioner the thanks of the House for the way in which the police work has been carried out and extend our sympathy to the police officers who have been injured in the course of it?

Mr. Rees

I agree. I have already done that. I presumed that I should be speaking on behalf of the House.

Following are the details:—

No. of Police Officers on duty at Grunwick since 28th June
28th June … … 1,338
29th June … … 615
30th June … … 746
1st July … … 745
4th July … … 858
5th July … … 643
6th July … … 437
7th July … … 431
8th July … … 335
11th Jul … … 3,706
12th July … … 429
13th July … … 215