§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis as to for what purpose the Metropolitan police helicopter was deployed in Forest Gate at around 7.30 pm on 2 August; and on how many occasions in the last 12 months helicopters have been used by the police in Newham;
(2) if he will provide a breakdown by (a) London borough and (b) number of occasions on which the Metropolitan police have summoned the assistance of a helicopter in the last 12 months.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that at approximately 7.30 pm on 2 August the helicopter was deployed on two occasions. The first was to locate suspects in the grounds of the Gateway store and the second was to assist police who were in pursuit of a suspect car.
Between 1 October 1988 and 30 September 1989, the helicopter was used on 4,277 occasions. Information about its use by police in individual London boroughs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.