§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what procedures exist to ensure that the police do not have unauthorised weapons; and whether he plans to change the procedures;
(2) if he will hold a public inquiry into the events at Southall on 23 April 1979;
(3) if he will make a statement following the verdict of misadventure in the Blair Peach inquest and the riders added by the jury.
§ Mr. WhitelawIn the course of my statement of 27 June 1979 on the events which had occurred at Southall on 23 April 1979, I indicated that I did not think that there were any significant gaps in the various inquiries which were then in hand which a public inquiry could usefully fill. That remains my view. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the jury's verdict in the inquest on the death of Mr. Blair Peach until all judicial proceedings which might arise from it have been completed.
The jury's rider about the organisation and supervision of the Special Patrol Group was covered in the answer I gave on 10 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat).—[Vol. 980, c. 395–96]. The other two riders are matters for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The holding or use of unauthorised weapons by police officers is already under review by the Commissioner.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations for a public inquiry into the events at Southall on 23 April 1979 and the death of Blair Peach he 723W has received; and if he will list the organisations concerned.
§ Mr. BrittanRepresentations have been received from some 130 organisations, including the national executive committee of the Labour Party, the Trades Union Congress, and the National Council for Civil Liberties.