§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time up to and including Friday, 26th March how much stolen property involving security firms has been recovered, how many arrests have been made and how many of the security firm personnel were subsequently found to be involved with the robberies; what action has been taken by the police to check the background of this type of personnel; and whether he will institute a system of certification of this type of security firm.
§ Mr. SharplesThe statistics are not available. Save in the investigation of offences, the police do not check the background of employees of private security organisations. My right hon. Friend has no plans for certification of these organisations.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in order to relieve the police of work connected with robberies affecting security vans, he will request the police in the Metropolis to advise security firms to introduce a system of combination locks on their vans with the number known only to the sender, not to be divulged until the vehicle has arrived at its destination, and then only by telephone to an appointed person.
§ Mr. SharplesNo.