§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Attorney-General what consideration he has given to bringing charges against officers of the National Union of Mineworkers for incitement to violence.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIncitement to violence is not a criminal offence, but an incitement by any person to others to commit a specific offence under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, or for them to commit offences against public order, such as riot or affray, renders the inciter liable to the criminal law. Such an offence of incitement is not one which a chief officer of police is bound to report to the Director of Public Prosecutions under the Prosecution of Offences Regulations 1978. However, the Director has had referred to him one case involving an alleged offence of incitement to riot by an officer of the National Union of Mineworkers, but the Director concluded that there was insufficient evidence for him to bring criminal proceedings. I am confident that if any chief officer of police has reason to think that any other offence of this type may have been committed and that there is evidence available which can properly be put before a court, he will refer that evidence to the Director for his consideration.