HC Deb 24 July 1984 vol 64 cc581-2W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply of 28 June, Official Report, column 511, why he does not consider it necessary to keep a running total of police costs arising from the current dispute in the mining industry.

Mr. Hurd

Because it would mean a lot of extra work for hard pressed people and running totals are not necessary. However, a Home Office circular about additional expenditure resulting from the miners' dispute, which was issued on 20 July, asks police authorities to provide estimates of costs incurred up to 30 June.

Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 19 July concerning arrests of pickets in connection with the miners' dispute, why he was unable to give the breakdown of the occupation of those arrested between 10 and 17 July; if he will now do so; if he will seek to obtain statistics on the occupation of arrested pickets concurrently with notifications of their arrests; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hurd

Information on the number of people arrested in each police force area in connection with the miners' dispute is collected centrally on a daily basis. But to lessen the burden on the police, information on the occupations of those arrested, the charges brought, and court cases completed is collected weekly. When I answered my hon. Friend's question on 19 July, at column 290, I gave the most up-to-date information available. Information is now available on the period up to 17 July, nd the following table gives the occupation of the 335 persons arrested between 11 July and 17 July inclusive. It would not be reasonable to ask the police to collect daily figures.

Occupations given by persons arrested between 11 July and 17 July inclusive
Occupation Number
Miners 310
Retired miner 1
Transport worker 1

Occupation Number
Health worker 1
Non manual workers 2
Manual workers 8
Housewives 3
Unemployed 9
Total 335

Mr. Mark Carlisle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests have been received from magistrates in any part of the country for assistance in trying the large numbers of cases still awaiting trial arising out of the present miners' strike.

Mr. Mellor

I understand that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has received two requests for the appointment of acting stipendiary magistrates.