§ 4. Mr. Matesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support the Government are providing for chief constables and police authorities as a result of the burden of policing in the coal dispute.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Government have shown the full extent of their support for the police in the unprecedented scale of our assistance with the additional costs of policing the dispute. I have already announced that for each police force area we shall meet 90 per cent. of the additional costs above the product of a penny rate and that no police authority's share of the cost will exceed the product of three quarters of a penny rate. We have also paid out advances of £128 million to help with police authorities cash flow.
§ 29. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is considering introducing any new measures to seek to prevent intimidation.
§ Mr. Giles ShawIn his review of the law on public order my right hon. and learned Friend has considered the powers of the police and the courts to deal with intimidation, but he is not yet ready to announce his conclusions. In the course of the miners' dispute the police have acted vigorously to deal with assaults and other criminal offences. For details of charges brought under section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875, which created a specific offence of intimidation, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims).
§ 37. Mr. Simsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use has been made of section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875 during the miners' dispute.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe figures which have been regularly given in answer to questions about charges for different offences during the miners' dispute relate to the main charge brought on arrest or summons. Further charges may be added subsequently. I understand that in total 643 charges have been brought under section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875, including those charges added at a later stage. Details are as follows:232W
Police force area Number of Charges For activities on picket line Subsection charged Derbyshire 276 not available not available Durham 1 none 7(1) Dyfed Powys 38 none 7(4) Gwent 9 none 7(4) Kent 34 none 7(4) Nottinghamshire 174 90 7(4) Staffordshire 6 5 7(1)—5 charges 7(1)—1 charge Warwickshire 7 none 7(l)—3 charges 7(1) and (4)—4 charges South Wales 23 none 7(4) South Yorkshire 31 none 7(4) West Yorkshire 44 none 7(1)—33 charges 7(2)—11 charges Although a detailed breakdown for Derbyshire is not available, I understand that the majority of charges there related to activities on the picket line, and the majority of prosecutions have been brought under section 7(4).
§ 39. Sir John Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to make facilities available for the inquiry by the European Assembly into police conduct at pit heads.
§ 52. Mr. Barronasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what co-operation his Department will be offering to the European Assembly's investigation on the policing of the miners' dispute.
§ 75. Mr. Greg Knightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning co-operation with the inquiry set up by the European Parliament to inquire into the policing of the miners' dispute in Britain.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI would refer the hon. Members to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Proctor) on 18 January, at column 238.
§ 43. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest figure for miners arrested in connection with the National Union of Mineworkers — National Coal Board dispute; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles Shaw8,552 of the 9,374 people arrested in connection with the miners' dispute between 13 March and 29 January inclusive were miners.
§ 44. Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the maximum sentences passed by the courts for offences for which people have been convicted in connection with the miners' dispute.
§ 63. Mr. Spencerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sentences have been passed by the courts for the most serious offences committed during the miners' dispute.
§ Mr. MellorAs at 25 January 1985, 112 defendants had been dealt with by the Crown court on charges related to the miners' strike, of whom 91 had been convicted. The offences of those convicted and the sentences passed on them are as follows: 233W
Offence Numbers convicted by case Sentence Affray 4 (1) Bound over for 18 months (2) (3) and (4) six months suspended imprisonment Arson and conspiracy to commit criminal damage 6 (1)-(5) 2 years imprisonment (6) 2 years youth custody Assault 1 9 months imprisonment 1 9 months imprisonment 3 (1) £100 fine (2) and (3) 28 days suspended imprisonment 4 Bound over for 12 months Assault causing actual bodily harm 1 6 months imprisonment 1 6 months imprisonment (3 months suspended) 1 14 days imprisonment 2 (1) 40 days suspended imprisonment and £75 compensation (2) £75 fine and costs 1 Bound over for 12 months 1 Bound over for 12 months Causing grievous bodily harm with intent 2 (1) 5 years imprisonment (2) 3 years youth custody Criminal damage 10 (1) 3 years youth custody (2) to (4) 2½ years youth custody (5) to (10) 2½ years imprisonment Criminal damage and arson 2 (1) 9 months imprisonment (2) 9 months youth custody Criminal damage and causing grievous bodily harm 1 (3) 15 months imprisonment Criminal damage (arson) 1 9 months imprisonment Criminal damage 1 4 months imprisonment 1 3 months suspended imprisonment 6 Bound over for 12 months Handling a vehicle without consent 1 £50 fine Taking conveyance without consent 1 CSO Reckless driving 1 6 months imprisonment Theft 1 Bound over for 12 months and £50 fine Unalwful assembly 16 CSO 16 CSO Wounding 2 12 months imprisonment (6 months suspended) 1 6 months imprisonment 1 CSO and bound over for 12 months Wounding and assault 1 £250 fine or 60 days
§ Mr. Lofthouseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been lodged against the police as a result of the miners' strike; and in how many of these complaints the inquiries have been completed.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe available information is that, in the period from 13 March 1984 to 15 January 1985, 534 complaints were made against police officers relating to actions arising from the policing of the dispute and that 100 of these have been withdrawn. Information about the number of complaints in respect of which investigation has been completed could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ 56. Mr. Mark Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many custodial sentences have been passed for offences committed in the course of the miners' dispute.
§ Mr. MellorIn the period 13 March to 29 January inclusive, 141 immediate custodial sentences were passed for offences committed in connection with the miners' dispute. These included one sentence of five years and one of three years for causing grievous bodily harm; and one sentence of three years and eight of two and a half years for arson.
§ 58. Sir Edward Gardnerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the policing of the miners' dispute.
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§ Mr. Giles ShawI am glad to reaffirm our full support for the police in the action they are taking to maintain order and to ensure that those who wish to exercise their right to go to work are able to do so.
§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been disciplined for incidents connected with the mining dispute; how many disciplinary charges are pending; and how many complaints have been made about the behaviour of police officers.
§ Mr. Giles ShawIn the period from 13 March 1984 to 22 January 1985, 537 complaints were made against police officers relating to actions arising during the course of the dispute. 102 of these have been withdrawn. Most of the remainder are still under investigation. I understand that the Police Complaints Board will include in its annual report for 1984 statistics on the number of investigation reports received by them which they have identified as dealing with complaints arising from the policing of the miners' strike and on the outcome of the investigations.