§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons with no previous convictions have so far received custodial sentences from Oxford magistrates who tried cases resulting from Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
357W(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the exact date the press were notified by the Thames Valley police about Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the number of policemen who took part in Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the number of persons who were held in police custody for eight hours or more during Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982 before being released without charge;
(5) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the number of Alsatian dogs which were used by the police during Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
(6) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the number of mentally handicapped persons who were held by police for two hours or more during Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
(7) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to the number of persons released without charge who were (a) fingerprinted, and (b) photographed during Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982;
(8) how many persons arrested during Operation Major carried out in Oxford on 2 September 1982 appeared in a magistrates' court on the same day; and how many had legal representation.
§ Mr. MayhewI understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that the information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
Twenty persons with no previous convictions have so far received custodial sentences; the press was notified on 2 September by the police of the operation; 213 police officers took part in the operation; nine persons were held in custody for eight hours or more while further inquiries were made before they were released without charge; two police dogs were used during the operation; there was no evidence available to the police at the time of the operation that any person detained by them was mentally handicapped, but it has subsequently been established that one person held for more than two hours was to some degree so handicapped; of the persons released without charge, none was fingerprinted, all were photographed but their photographs have been destroyed; of those persons arrested 165 appeared in a magistrates' court on the same day; it is not known to the police how many had legal representation.