HC Deb 25 January 1979 vol 961 cc661-2
9. Mr. Brotherton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

15. Mr. Neubert

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I met him earlier this week and I expect to meet him again soon.

Mr. Brotherton

During the meetings with the Commissioner, has the right hon. Gentleman discussed the Commissioner's proposed changes in the powers of the police? Will he tell the House his views on the subject?

Mr. Rees

No. There is a Royal Commission sitting and everybody concerned may give evidence on what he thinks should be the changes. I shall wait until the Royal Commission reports. I hoped to meet the members of the commission last week, but I was busier in another context. I had hoped to meet them on Saturday, but I could not go. I shall wait until the Commission reports and all the evidence is collated.

Mr. Neubert

When the right hon. Gentleman meets the Commissioner, will he discuss with him the serious matter of assaults on London taxi drivers and the growing incidence of bilking? Does he think that there is sufficient publicity of the provisions of the Theft Act? Why should not the penalties be displayed in the cabs?

Mr. Rees

I shall certainly do what the hon. Gentleman asks. I shall discuss the matter with the Commissioner.

Mr. Pavitt

When my right hon. Friend meets the Commissioner, will he thank him and commend him for the appointment of public relations officers, especially in areas such as mine that have large ethnic minorities? These officers are able to save a considerable amount of complaint procedure that would involve considerable time and effort by hard-pressed police officers.

Mr. Rees

I shall do that.

Mr. Townsend

Will the right hon. Gentleman draw the attention of the Commissioner to the great concern in many London riverside boroughs about the cutting back of the Metropolitan Police River Division? Does he appreciate that in many respects river traffic has increased in recent years?

Mr. Rees

River traffic may have increased, but the nature and the use of the river has changed greatly. The Commissioner must make his own operational judgment and I support him in what he is doing.

Mr. Whitelaw

When the right hon. Gentleman next meets the Commissioner, will he first express the appreciation of the House for the way in which the Metropolitan Police handled the large demonstrations that took place on Monday? At the same time will he express the understanding the House of the many extra duties places on the police at a time of industrial difficulty such as at present?

Mr. Rees

I shall do that. When I first heard the discussions in the House I thought that hon. Members were complaining about what the police were doing. I explained to the police that parliamentary procedure is sometimes peculiar and that we meant that we were praising them.