§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry of 16 June,Official Report, column 194, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police as to how many (a) persons who made written statements to police officers, and (b) solicitors representing persons who made written statements to police officers, concerning matters leading up to the shootings by the late Michael Ryan in Hungerford, have requested copies of these written statements from any police officer or civilian; what were the dates of such requests; whether copies have been given or sent to those persons or their solicitors; and when the chief constable or other police officers or civilians intend to deal with those requests to which they have not as yet given an answer.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggSince I answered the hon. Member's question on 16 June I have been informed by the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that his force has traced one such request, which was made by a firm of solicitors in early May. That request was for a copy of a statement taken by the Wiltshire police and the solicitors were therefore advised to contact the chief constable of Wiltshire. I have been further informed that two complaints were made against the Thames Valley police in the aftermath of the Hungerford shootings and that it is possible that some requests have been made and met for copies of statements taken in connection with the investigation of these complaints. But no central record has been kept of any such requests and detailed checking would therefore be necessary in order to establish if any were made and if so what happened to them. This could only be done at disproportionate cost.