HC Deb 04 May 1978 vol 949 cc432-4
8. Mr. Alan Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have suffered from injuries from assault in the course of their duties in each of the years 1974 to 1977, inclusive, in the metropolitan area.

Dr. Summerskill

The number of Metropolitan Police officers reporting injury as a result of being assaulted while on duty was as follows: 1974, 2,925; 1975, 2,990; 1976, 3,550; 1977, 4,030.

Mr. Clark

Are not these figures the most disturbing of all the criminal statistics? Can the Minister say that she shares the concern of my right hon. and hon. Friends and myself at what seems to be the increasingly casual attitude of the courts towards this particularly serious offence? Would she not agree that it is the attitude of some courts towards this offence, rather than the physical risks involved, which plays a considerable part in lowering police morale?

Dr. Summerskill

I share the concern about the numbers, but I cannot comment on the way courts use their powers. They have considerable power under the new Criminal Law Act, and Parliament has decided that the offence of assaulting a constable is more appropriately dealt with at a magistrates' court than at a Crown court, except for the more serious assaults of grievous bodily harm.

Mr. Newens

While I hope that we would all utterly deplore assaults on the police and support any action necessary to bring them to an end, may I ask whether my hon. Friend has seen the film shown in this building to Members from both sides of the House about the behaviour of the special patrol group at Grunwick? If she has not seen the film, will she take steps to do so, because it shows unjustified use of violence by the special patrol group, which can only bring the genuine behaviour of other police officers into disrepute? Would she agree that we must denounce excess violence when it is used by the special patrol group?

Dr. Summerskill

I understand that the film showed violence, but I must remind my hon. Friend that violence was also inflicted on police officers and that, as a result of that dispute, many police officers ended up in hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Can the hon. Lady give some suggestions as to the cause for the increase in assaults on police of 15 per cent. last year and 16 per cent. the year before?

Dr. Summerskill

I would say that it is associated with the general increase of crimes of violence which are occuring against civilians as well as against the police.

Mr. Christopher Price

Does my hon. Friend agree that there would have been very many fewer injuries to policemen if the Government had fallen in with the request of the three hon. Members from Lewisham to ban the National Front march last August, as they did the later march in Ilford? Will she congratulate the Inner London Education Authority on refusing to let schools to the National Front and agree that the Representation of the People Act in regard to provocative National Front meetings at election times needs to be looked at?

Dr. Summerskill

The banning of marches is a decision for the chief constables in the areas for which they have responsibility. They have to make those important decisions. The same applies to the banning of halls for National Front meetings. It is a matter to be decided locally according to local conditions.

Mr. David Howell

While it is obviously not for the Minister to intervene with the courts, would she not agree that it is for herself and her ministerial colleagues to give full, continuous and open support for a stronger police force? How does she feel that that squares with the present situation in which the police force in England and Wales is still shrinking?

Dr. Summerskill

This matter is covered by other Questions. Certainly there is every expectation that when the Edmund-Davies Committee reports, its recommendations will lead to greater recruitment into the police.