HL Deb 14 July 1971 vol 322 cc347-8
LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many policemen were on duty, and for how long, at the recent Reading"pop"festival, including the number required for extra traffic control; and who paid the cost.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, 557 police officers were on duty at this festival, about 400 of whom were deployed from outside the Reading area. Forty-eight of these officers were engaged on traffic control duties, 25 of whom would not normally have been on duty in Reading. Every officer worked a 12-hour shift for each of the three days. The cost was borne by the Thames Valley Police Authority.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, seeing that a"pop"festival is put on to please the"pop"fans or to make money for the suppliers of food and drink and music, is there any particular reason why, following the admirable practice in Britain of trying to get people to pay for what they have, the"pop"fans and the profit-making suppliers should not pay 5 or 10 old shillings, or whatever these new pence are, on top of their ticket for this service? Why should we, the taxpayers and the ratepayers, pay for their pleasure and profit?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, the Government are keeping close watch over these festivals to see whether general legislation is needed. The imposition of a requirement on festival organisers to pay for the police presence inside and outside festival sites would be a new departure that would call for careful consideration.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord what the general practice is with regard, for instance, to Ascot, Henley or Wimbledon? Is he able to tell us how many policemen are on traffic duty, and elsewhere, on such occasions, and who pays for them?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, that goes a little wider than the Question on the Order Paper.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS

Oh!

LORD WINDLESHAM

Perhaps I may be allowed to comment. The practice at football grounds is that, very often by agreement, the club makes a payment to the police authority for those police officers who are on duty inside the ground. This does not apply to police on duty outside the ground who are engaged on traffic control and duties of that sort. Nor, I understand, does it apply to extra police who may be brought in on a particular occasion, such as when it is thought there may be a demonstration of some sort. If the chief constable decides he must bring in extra police, their cost is not met by the club. This is information that I think may be of interest to the House, but I cannot give information on race meetings and other sporting events, without notice.