§ Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made in the Y division of the Metropolitan Police during the last 12 months under the terms of section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824;and if, in table form, he will set out in the most commonly understood way the variously classified groups and whether or not they were ultimately convicted.
§ Mr. BrittanI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested on arrests is available for offences of being suspected of frequenting a public place with intent to commit an arrestable offence, but that information for other offences220W under section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information for 1979 is given in the following table. The number of these persons ultimately found guilty is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Persons arrested1 for being suspected of frequenting a public place with intent to commit an arrestable offence:
Y District, Metropolitan Police District, 1979 Ethnic appearance Number of persons White-skinned European 29 Dark-skinned European 3 Black-skinned (including West Indian/African) 20 Indian/Pakistani 1 Chinese/Japanese — Arabian /Egyptian — Not Known — Total 53 1Persons proceeded against by means of a charge, referral to a juvenile bureau, a caution or in some other way; arrests not followed by any action are not included.