§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of arrests and detention by each regional police force of persons within its area under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe total numbers of persons detained in England and Wales under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 and 1976 for each police force are as follows:
Police Force Number of Detentions Metropolitan Police 726 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 39 Bedfordshire Police 42 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 0 Cheshire Constabulary 6 City of London Police 24 Cleveland Constabulary 7 Cumbria Constabulary 2 Derbyshire Constabulary 1 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 27 Dorset Police 16 Durham Constabulary 0 Essex Police 33 Gloucestershire Constabulary 10 Greater Manchester Police 52 Hampshire Constabulary 144 Hertfordshire Constabulary 0 Humberside Constabulary 7 Kent Constabulary 38 Lancashire Constabulary 57 Leicestershire Constabulary 7 Lincolnshire Constabulary 2 Merseyside Police 767 Norfolk Constabulary 0 Northamptonshire Police 20 Northumbria Police 5 North Yorkshire Police 1 Nottinghamshire Constabulary 3 South Yorkshire Police 0 Staffordshire Police 0 Suffolk Police 8 Surrey Constabulary 82 Sussex Police 17 Thames Valley Police 15 Warwickshire Constabulary 0 West Mercia Constabulary 2 West Midlands Police 97 West Yorkshire (Metropolitan) Police 102 Wiltshire Constabulary 2 Dyfed Powys Police 57 Gwent Constabulary 2 North Wales Police 37 South Wales Constabulary 58 2,515 In addition, 583 people have been detained under the legislation in Scotland.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many cases applications were made for 712W detention to be extended by a further five days; and in how many cases it was refused.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees276 and none.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been subsequently charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees3,098 people have been detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. An extension of detention under Section 7 of the 1974 Act or Section 12 of the 1976 Act has been approved in 276 cases; a further 651 people were detained for 48 hours or less. 2,171 people have been detained pending further examination at ports under the supplemental orders made under the Acts.
118 people detained under the Acts have been charged with offences in Great Britain. 20 of them have been charged with offences under the Acts. Four of the remainder have been charged with murder, three with attempted murder, 16 with conspiracy to cause explosions, 11 with unlawful possession of explosives, one with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life, 12 with offences under the Firearms Act 1968, one with causing an explosion, five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue, 15 with theft, four with burglary, one with causing criminal damage, one with threatening to cause criminal damage, one with attempting criminal deception, one with handling a stolen vehicle, fice with handling stolen property, one with unlawful wounding, two with possession of drugs, three with wasting police time, one with harbouring a person known to have committed an arrestable offence, two with assault on police, one with being found on enclosed premises, one with possessing an offensive weapon, two with offences under Section 6 of the Road Traffic Act 1972, three with criminal deception, and one with obtaining a passport by deception.
In addition, three people have been removed to the Irish Republic and there 713W charged, two with burglary and one with robbery.
25 people have been removed to Northern Ireland and there charged, six with murder, two with robbery, four with firearms offences, four with unlawful possession of explosives, five with causing an explosion, one with the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, one with burglary, and two with arson.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and under which sections of the Act the charges have been brought.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees17 people have been charged in Great Britain with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976: three under Section 10(1)(a), two under Sections 10(1)(a) and 10(2), two under Section 10(1), one under Section 10(1)(b)—who was not initially detained under the Act—three under Section 1(1)(b), two under Section 9(1), two under Section 9(2)(a) and two under Section 11(1). Four people were charged in Great Britain under Section 1(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has refused an extension of five days to the police for the holding of a suspect under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and, if so, in how many cases.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the charges brought against suspects initially held under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, if any have been dropped before the case was heard; if so, which charges; if any charges have led to an unsuccessful prosecution; if so, which charges; if any charges have led to a successful prosecution; and, if so, in each case, what was the sentence imposed.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI gave a detailed answer to a similar Question by my hon.714W Friend on 14th December 1977.—[Vol. 941, c. 242–245.]—The only change since then is the addition of three people charged under Section 10(1)(a) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976 who are awaiting trial.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what progress has been made to date in Lord Shackleton's review of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act;
(2) when he expects Lord Shackleton to complete his review of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI understand from Lord Shackleton that he is making steady progress, but I cannot yet say when he is likely to complete his review.