§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gloucestershire regarding the law and order situation in the Barton street area of Gloucester; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will meet urgently the chief constable of Gloucestershire to discuss the law and order situation in the Barton street area of Gloucester.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have recently received a report from the chief constable on the policing of the Barton street area of Gloucester about which my right hon. Friend wrote to my hon. Friend on 5 July. He has no current plans to meet the chief constable.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will pay an official visit to the Barton street area of Gloucester to view the law and order position there: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the level of policing in force in the Barton street area of Gloucester; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI have received representations from my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet a delegation of residents from the Barton street area of Gloucester to discuss the breakdown of public order there; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggResponsibility for operational decisions on policing the Barton street area are for the chief constable of Gloucestershire and it would not be right to intervene. The chief constable is committed to the effective policing of the area and I understand from him that resources are devoted to it and to other parts of the county commensurate with his duty to maintain the peace and to enforce the law throughout Gloucestershire.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will commit additional resources to the Gloucestershire constabulary; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo application for an increase in the police establishment has been received from the police authority. Any such application would be considered along with those from other authorities, in the light of advice from Her Majesty's inspectorate and within the limits of the extra posts available.