§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from each chief constable concerned which will provide details, for each pit, of the number of pickets arrested since the miners' recent overtime ban began.
§ Mr. HurdFigures for the number of arrests made in connection with the current picketing in England and Wales are available centrally for the period between 14 and 26 March inclusive, and relate to police force areas rather than to individual pits. They are as follows:
20W
Force area Number of arrests Derbyshire 12 Leicestershire 7 Nottinghamshire 137 South Yorkshire 4 Staffordshire 30 Warwickshire 2 TOTAL 192
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables about how many police, and from which police authority areas, were drafted in to assist Nottinghamshire constabulary for the supervision of Nottingham coal mines in the week beginning 19 March; and how this compares with the previous week.
§ Mr. HurdAs I explained on 22 March at columns561–62, in reply to a similar question from the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn), the chief constable of Nottinghamshire has reported to me that it could prejudice effective policing in Nottinghamshire to publish the information sought whilst similar operations are continuing in the area.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has received reports from the chief constables involved since the onset of the current dispute in the coal mining industry that pickets in excess of the legally permitted maximum have been formed, maintained and allowed to continue; and whether such continuation has taken place with the tacit or official approval of the local police authorities concerned.
§ Mr. HurdMy right hon. and learned Friend has received from chief constables in England and Wales daily reports about the extent of the picketing during the current dispute.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been involved in checking cars and coaches, away from the immediate vicinity of collieries; how much overtime has been worked as a result; and what has been the total cost.
§ Mr. HurdThe information requested is not collected centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables 21W in areas where there is a police presence at picket lines associated with the present miners' dispute; and if he will make them available to Members.
§ Mr. HurdWe are receiving daily reports about police operations in England and Wales during the current dispute, but it is not the practice to publish reports by chief officers of police to the Home Secretary.