Anti-apartheid March (Surveillance)

HC Deb 10 July 1985 vol 82 cc431-2W

Mr. Chris Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about whether the Metropolitan police used (a) an empty office at Strutton Ground SW1, (b) the roof of the New Scotland Yard building, and (c) the roof of the British Pharmaceutical building in Lambeth road, for the purpose

of camera surveillance of the anti-apartheid march on 16 June; what was the total number of police personnel involved in camera surveillance of this march, and what branches of the Metropolitan police they were from; and whether any still photographs were taken by the Metropolitan police of the march.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that seven cameras were used at various locations along the route of the march including the roof of New Scotland Yard and the British Pharmaceutical building. No cameras were sited in Strutton Ground. The cameras, which were used for traffic control and to assist in police deployment, were operated by 19 civilian engineers from the chief engineer's department of the Metropolitan police. No still photographs were taken.