HC Deb 21 June 1984 vol 62 cc461-2
3. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what subjects he discussed at his last meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Mr. Brittan

Apart from social occasions, I last met the president of the association on 27 March when he reported to me, on behalf of his colleagues, on the police operation in relation to the miners' dispute.

Mr. Canavan

When will the Home Secretary tell the chief constables to put a stop to police brutality during the miners' strike, otherwise public confidence in the police will be completely destroyed? How on earth can any Home Secretary justify a situation where millions of television viewers can witness a policeman repeatedly lashing out with his truncheon against a miner and be told that the policeman will not face criminal charges? Why is that policeman not being treated like a common criminal, because that is precisely what he is?

Mr. Brittan

I do not accept the view that the hon. Gentleman has put forward about the conduct of policing operations, and the House had an opportunity last Tuesday to consider the matter at considerable length. Any allegation that a police officer has abused his power or exceeded it must, and should, be looked at properly, in the right way, through the proper channels. Unlike the hon. Gentleman, I do not believe that that includes coming to a conclusion on the basis of the limited facts that he has.

Mr. Latham

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that on this side of the House at any rate, and in the country, there is warm support for the police in the difficult work that they are trying to do in allowing people to go peacefully to their place of work?

Mr. Brittan

I am aware of that. That support was expressed forcefully in the House on Tuesday. I am sure that it will have greatly assisted the police in the difficult job that they have to do.

Mr. Mason

Does the Home Secretary agree that the policemen on the picket lines are under great stress and strain at the moment? Does he agree that that was anticipated when he met the Association of Chief Police Officers? Did he inform the members of the asssociation that at the conclusion of the miners' dispute a national independent inquiry into law breaking by the police is likely, especially because of the activities of a nationally organised police force, into the prevention of free movement on the Queen's highway, into picket control methods and into the likely cost in compensation to the injured picketers? Did he tell them that?

Mr. Brittan

I did not. I am not sure whether the right hon. Gentleman is suggesting that that is called for, but I certainly did not discuss it.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

May I revert to the specific incident mentioned by the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan)? Will my right hon. and learned Friend make it crystal clear that when the Director of Public Prosecutions, in the proper pursuance of his duty, determines independently that a case should not be brought, it will be either because he judges that the evidence available is unlikely to produce a conviction, or that there is some other public matter within his purview which requires him not to prosecute? Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that it is wrong for an hon. Member, with the privilege of the House behind him, to seek to try an accused man?

Mr. Brittan

I agree. I find it impossible to understand how any hon. Member can take it upon himself to be judge and jury in a case of which he has limited knowledge.

Mr. Dubs

In his discussions with the association, will the Home Secretary raise the question of the way in which the police use firearms? In particular, will he tell the association and the House when he expects to have the result of the inquiry into the recent shooting at Tottenham? Will he give an undertaking that the results of that inquiry will be made known to the House?

Mr. Brittan

I announced last December that changes in the selection and training procedures for the use of firearms were required and that I would be discussing them with the Commissioner. The Commissioner's report describes the areas for improvement, and some of the changes have already begun to take place. For example, tighter screening procedures for officers who apply for firearms training has already been implemented. Some of the changes recommended require resources and cannot be made overnight; for example, increasing the length and extending the content of the basic firearms training courses. That is under way.

The report into the use of firearms at the post office in North London on 14 June and the report of the second inquiry into whether offences were committed by the people arrested will go to the Director of Public Prosecutions. As the hon. Gentleman knows, reports to the DPP are not published, but the consequence of such reports can be considered further.