HL Deb 07 November 1968 vol 297 cc352-4
BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is true that policemen in plain clothes posing as drug addicts in the West End of London approach young men with requests for heroin or other drugs, thereby laying the latter open to a charge of attempting to sell prohibited drugs.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)

My Lords, the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis tells me that police officers in plain clothes on duty in the West End of London have, on occasion, been offered drugs; but he knows of no case in which a police officer has posed as a drug addict.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, may I thank the Minister for his Answer and at the same time say, on behalf of all of us, how delighted we are to see him back in his place? May I also ask him whether he will look at any evidence I can offer him that in fact this practice has occurred? And would he agree that if it does occur, it is ethically repulsive and a direct incentive to illegal trafficking and ought to be stopped?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, may I first thank my noble friend for her kind personal reference? With regard to her second point, I shall be pleased to have any information which my noble friend can give me and at once have it investigated. The Commissioner of Police would also be glad to investigate it. With regard to my noble friend's last point, I entirely agree with what she says on this matter. I say that in no case do police officers act as agents provocateurs in these matters, and I would add that they are made fully aware of this point when they are briefed for their duties. They could be technically committing an offence, the offence of attempting to procure a dangerous drug under Section 18 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I am most grateful to my noble friend.

LORD HANKEY

My Lords, will the Minister, however, bear in mind that there is very great concern about the extent of drug trafficking at the present time and the great danger this offers to young people, and that it is most desirable that the police should use the most effective methods they can within the limits of what is ethical in order to enforce the law?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I fully agree with the noble Lord, and the police are doing all they can in this matter. If a police officer in plain clothes is offered drugs or told where he can get them, he would be failing in his duty if he failed to follow that up. This is a dreadful traffic and it must be combated by all legal means.

VISCOUNT BARRINGTON

My Lords, arising out of the noble Lord's last and very satisfactory answer to the noble Baroness, would he agree that there is no word in the English language for agent provocateur and it is highly undesirable that there ever should be?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, whatever the truth of that, I am glad that at least the noble Viscount understood me.