§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many plain clothes police officers are operating within National Union of Mineworkers' picket lines.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from chief officers of police that police officers in plain clothes are sometimes being used in the policing of events arising from the miners' dispute to help the police to identify those who are engaged in or threatening violence. Information about the numbers of officers performing such duties is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers are employed on duties associated with the policing of the current mining dispute.
§ Mr. HurdThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that since the dispute began the number of his officers having to be deployed on duties arising from it has varied from day to day. The maximum deployment on any one day has been some 1,000 officers, assisting other police forces.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of police officers involved in duties associated with the current mining dispute in each of the weeks since the dispute began.
§ Mr. HurdThe number of police officers deployed has varied from day to day, and some officers have performed relevant duties on more than one day in a week. The table gives, to the nearest 100, the maximum number of officers from other forces deployed to assist those forces most affected by the dispute during each week from 14 March to 5 June inclusive. Large numbers of local officers have also been deployed.
Maximum number of officers from other forces deployed on any one day Week Number 14 March to 18 March 6,900 19 March to 25 March 7,500 26 March to 1 April 5,800 2 April to 8 April 5,500 9 April to 15 April 5,600 16 April to 22 April 4,800 23 April to 29 April 3,700 30 April to 6 May 4,500 7 May to 13 May 4,800 14 May to 20 May 4,300 21 May to 27 May 5,100 28 May to 3 June 4,800 4 June to 5 June 5,800
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables 216W as to how many pickets arrested, since the beginning of the miners' dispute, in Warwickshire were arrested by (a) officers from the Warwickshire police area and (b) officers from outside the Warwickshire police area; and if he will provide a breakdown of the nature of the charge in each case for (a) and (b).
§ Mr. HurdThe chief constable of Warwickshire tells me that of the 83 arrests made in Warwickshire between 14 March and 5 June inclusive in relation to events arising from the dispute, 24 were made by police officers from his force, and 59 by officers from other forces. The following tables provide information about the charges subsequently brought.
Arrests by Warwickshire officers Charges brought Number Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 (conduct conductive to a breach of the peace) 11 Criminal damage 1 Attempted criminal damage 1 Assault 2 Obstruction of the highway 1 Firearms offence 1 Not proceeded with 7 24
Arrests by other officers Charges brought Number Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 42 Criminal damage 2 Assault 1 Obstruction of the highway 6 Obstruction of the police 8 59