§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the latest cost to the local authority of the police presence at the pits in Warwickshire.
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Warwickshire about how many police officers have been involved at the picket lines of the miners at the Warwickshire pits.
§ Mr. HurdThe chief constable has reported to me that it could prejudice effective policing in his area to publish information about the number of officers deployed in his area whilst the operations are continuing.
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Warwickshire about the number of arrests of miners at the Warwickshire pits since the beginning of the present industrial action; and with what offences these miners have been charged.
§ Mr. HurdThe chief constable of Warwickshire tells me that 42 people have been arrested in Warwickshire for offences related to the miners' dispute. The information about charges is as follows:
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Offences charged Number of people arrested Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 26 Section 5 of the 1936 Act and obstruction of a police officer 1
Offences charged Number of people arrested Obstruction of the highway 7 Trespass on railway property 4 Obstruction of a police officer 2 Assault on a police officer 1 Section 5 of the 1936 Act, assault on a police officer and criminal damage. 1
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from the chief constables concerned about how many police officers from the Thames valley force have been transferred from duty at Upper Heyford to Warwickshire in order to supervise picket lines at Daw Mill colliery.
§ Mr. HurdIt is not possible to speculate upon what duties Thames valley officers would have done if they had not been lent to other forces on mutual aid.
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Warwickshire into the arrest of eight pickets at Daw mill colliery, Warwickshire, on Monday 2 April; what charges have been made; how many officers were part of the special squads responsible for the arrests; and if he will make a statement on the level of police operations at the pits in Warwickshire.
§ Mr. HurdThe chief constable tells me that shortly before the morning shift began at Daw Mill colliery on 2 April a number of people linked arms and obstructed the road to the colliery. To clear the obstruction, the police had to make eight arrests. Four of the people arrested have been charged with obstruction of the highway; three with conduct conducive to a breach of the peace; and one with obstructing a police officer. No special police squads were deployed.