Pickets (Hansard, 11 April 1984)

§ 32. Mr. Canavan
asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what criteria are used in deciding whether to charge pickets in an industrial dispute; and whether any special instructions or guidelines have been issued by the Crown Office to the police or procurators fiscal.

§ The Solicitor-General for Scotland
The criteria to be applied in deciding whether to proceed against pickets on criminal charges are the same as those applied in any case where there is an allegation of criminal conduct. No special instructions or guidelines have been issued by the Crown Office to the police or procurators fiscal.

§ Mr. Canavan
Will the Solicitor-General confirm that secondary picketing is not itself a crime and that, unless an interdict has been granted, any group of workers have the right to try peacefully to persuade their fellow workers to join them in industrial action? Will the Solicitor-General therefore remind the police that it is their duty to try to ensure the freedom of movement of people, without peaceful pickets being subjected to the type of police harassment and intimidation that they have experienced in some areas?

§ The Solicitor-General for Scotland
The answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question is clearly yes. However, I must remind him that, as my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General said, it is the function of the law to protect the right of every person to make his own decision, free from violence or any other form of intimidation, on whether or not to work. The law permits no interference with that right and recognises no privilege or immunity vested in any person, merely because he is engaged in picketing, to act in a way which constitutes a criminal offence."—[Official Report, 16 March 1984; Vol. 56, c. 279–80.] That is clearly known to the police and I only hope that people who are engaged in picketing in Scotland also recognise that they have no immunity to commit criminal offences.

§ Mr. Ewing
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I apologise on behalf of my right hon. and hon. Friends for our sedentary interruptions which arose because, while Conservative Members and members of the alliance can be called almost at will, it would appear that the only way in which we can be heard, if we do not table a question, is by sedentary interruptions.

§ Mr. Speaker
I hope that the hon. Gentleman is not seeking to criticise my choice when calling hon. Members, because he has been called no less than twice during questions this afternoon.

§ Mr. Ewing
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. That is precisely my point. The two occasions on which I have been called have been on my own questions, yet members of the alliance have been called repeatedly. The hon. Members for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) and for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Hirst) have also been called repeatedly and——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I must tell the House again that I do my best to ensure that as many hon. Members as possible are called during Question Time. I warned the House that we had a long run on question No. 2, on the important matter of drug-taking in Scotland, and that we should have to get on rather more rapidly thereafter. It is simply a matter of judgment as to what is important in Scotland today. I made that judgment today.