Captain A. EVANSasked the Home Secretary the number of prosecutions instituted by the police in the Metropolitan area which have been dismissed since 1st August; in how many of these cases has the presiding magistrate found it necessary to criticise the action of the police in bringing the charge; and if he has any statement to make to the House which will allay the anxiety in the mind of the general public in this connection?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am informed by the Commissioner of Police that out of the 15,777 charges prosecuted by the police in the Metropolitan area since 1st August, 1927, 775 (including numerous cases which were discharged under the Probation of Offenders' Act and other Acts) were dismissed, and that only in one of these cases was any criticism passed by the presiding magistrate on the action of police in bringing the charge.