§ Mr. Blairasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constables for Durham and Northumberland police as to the additional policing costs incurred in relation to the mining dispute on Monday 9 July.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serious charges have been brought 21W to date in connection with the coal mining dispute; how many have been fully tried; and if he will summarise the sentences that have been awarded.
§ Mr. HurdThere is no standard definition of a `serious' offence. Following is the information available about the nature of offences charged in connection with the miners' dispute between 14 March and 10 July inclusive:
Offences Number of charges Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 (conduct conducive to a breach of the peace) 1,893 Obstruction of a police officer 1,027 Obstruction of the highway 511 Criminal damage 257 Arson 1 Assault on a police officer 256 Assault occasioning actual bodily harm 221 Causing grievous bodily harm 12 Theft 67 Assault with intent to resist arrest 9 Offensive weapon 12 Section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875 (Intimidation) 76 Burglary 1 Handling stolen property 1 Drug offence 1 Attempt (various offences) 9 Drunkenness 57 Unlawful assembly 135 Affray 12 Riot 84 Other offences 85 TOTAL 4,727 In the same period the courts had dealt with 656 cases. Sixty of the defendants were acquitted. In 37 cases the courts imposed a conditional discharge; in 237 cases the defendants were bound over to keep the peace. In 404 cases fines were imposed (the courts making more than one order in some cases). The information available centrally on the level of fine imposed is as follows:
Level of fine Number under £10 6 £10–£24 35 £25–£49 17 £50–£74 83 £75–£99 151 £100–£149 59 £150–£199 25 £200 and above 28 TOTAL 404