§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will advise the Metropolitan Police that when arresting Her Majesty's subjects and making charges of a serious character they shall do so only when they are ready and able to proceed with such charges in a court within four weeks of the arrest, and that if this is not the case they will not request a remand in custody after the expiration of four weeks if the trial has not by then commenced;
(2) what is the usual practice with regard to the police arresting a person, making a formal charge, and applying for a remand in custody and for a renewal of remand in custody on several occasions; what is the average period of time such persons are kept in custody on remand before the police are ready to present their case; and whether he will give the latter information for the longest convenient stated period of time.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganIt must be for the police to decide when to arrest, and for the courts to decide whether to remand on bail or in custody, according to the circumstances of the particular case. The figures my hon. Friend asks for are not readily available.