§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people in each of the last five years were stopped and searched by the police in exercise of their powers under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and how many people were charged, and how many subsequently convicted of offences, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, during and following the Reading Jazz and Blues Festival held over each August Bank Holiday weekend.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Belstead)I regret that this information is not readily available.
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§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people were stopped and searched by the police in exercise of their powers under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 during the pop festival at Catlinstone, Shropshire between 4th and 14th July 1980, and how many people were taken to Bishops Castle and Ludlow police stations to be strip searched.
§ Lord BELSTEADThe West Mercia Constabulary have informed us that during the Catlinstone festival 330 people were stopped and searched by the police in exercise of their powers under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Of these, 33 were taken to Bishops Castle police station and two to Ludlow police station to be searched more closely.
§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many police officers and police dogs were involved in the police raid on the site of a pop festival at Inglestone Common at 7.30 a.m. on 3rd July 1980; whether they can confirm that, as a result of the police action, five people were charged with offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and eight people with offences arising from police presence on the site; and whether they are aware that six members of the public were treated in hospital for dog bites after the raid, and that two police officers also required hospital treatment.
§ Lord BELSTEADThe Avon and Somerset Constabulary have informed us that 107 police officers and 12 police dogs with their handlers were deployed on 3rd July 1980 at an unauthorised encampment on Inglestone Common. I understand that the common was not the site of a pop festival. Four of the dogs were used to detect the presence of controlled drugs; the other dogs were not deployed until widespread fighting broke out in the encampment and it became necessary to restore order. As a result of the police searches, five persons were charged with offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and eight variously with offences of assault, possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage. Twelve persons were subsequently con- 1175WA victed and fined; the remaining case is still pending. The Avon and Somerset Constabulary have confirmed that six people from Inglestone Common received hospital treatment, although the nature of their injuries is not known to the police. Six police officers, two of whom were admitted to hospital, were injured to an extent requiring medical treatment.