HL Deb 04 July 1980 vol 411 cc842-4WA
Lord MELCHETT

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people have been searched while on their way to or from the recent pop festival at Stonehenge by police officers acting under the stop and search powers in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Belstead)

The Wiltshire Constabulary have informed us that during the Stonehenge festival, which took place between 12th and 24th June, 372 people were stopped and searched by the police in exercise of their powers under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Lord MELCHETT

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will confirm that some people travelling to the recent pop festival at Stonehenge were given typewritten questionnaires by the police and asked to complete these questionnaires; and if so, whether it is true that the questionnaires included questions about the individual's previous criminal convictions and other personal information; whether they will place a copy of the questionnaire in the Library of the House of Lords; whether they will state under which Act of Parliament this questionnaire was given to members of the public for completion; and whether members of the public handed these questionnaires were given any choice as to whether they completed them or not.

Lord BELSTEAD

The Wiltshire Constabulary have informed us that no questionnaires were issued by the police to persons attending the festival. The police are, however, required to prepare statements of antecedents for submission to the courts in respect of persons charged with a serious criminal offence. Those charged with drug offences following the festival were therefore asked to assist the police by confirming any previous convictions which police records showed against their names and by supplying other details needed for the accurate preparation of statements of antecedents.

Lord MELCHETT

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is true that women travelling to the recent pop festival at Stonehenge who were stopped by the police under the powers in the Misuse of Drugs Act were then taken to some police garages behind the local police station to be stripped and searched; whether they will confirm that the windows in these garages enabled male police officers to see those inside; and what steps, if any, were taken to prevent this happening.

Lord BELSTEAD

The Wiltshire Constabulary have informed us that during the course of the festival all searches under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 were carried out at a local police station. Because only limited facilities were available, a garage at the police station was also furnished and adapted for use as a search room; this garage had no windows. Inside the police station, searches were conducted in rooms fitted with blinds to the windows; these were invariably drawn while searches were in progress, and a notice was displayed outside each room to ensure that the necessary proprieties were observed.