HC Deb 19 November 1984 vol 68 cc10-3W
Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged in connection with the current dispute in the mining industry; how many have been finally dealt with by the courts; how many have been fined; and how many have been sentenced to imprisonment.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Between 13 March and 13 November inclusive 6,655 people were charged with offences in connection with the miners' dispute and 3,049 of these cases have now been dealt with by the courts. Of the 2,404 convicted, 1,584 have been fined and 49 have received custodial sentences.

Mr. Nellist

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details, by police force area, of the total number of arrests to the latest available date in connection with the coal strike, and provide a breakdown of arrests by offence charged with outcome of trial and those still awaiting trial.

Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the following information on the mining dispute: (a) the number of arrests in each police area, (b) the number of those arrested who were released without being charged and (c) the charges laid and the number of persons charged with each offence listed.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The information available centrally about the number of arrests made in each police force area in connection with the miners' dispute relates to the period 13 March to 13 November inclusive and is as follows:

Police Force area Number of arrrests
Clevaland 58
Cumbria 25
Derbyshire 1,112
Durham 396
Dyfed/Powys 2
Essex 212
Greater Manchester 234
Gwent 167
Hampshire 11
Humberside 94
Kent 211
Lancashire 26

Police Force area Number of arrrests
Clevaland 58
Leicestershire 54
Merseyside 182
Metropolitan 126
Northumbria 458
North Wales 31
North Yorkshire 139
Nottinghamshire 2,329
South Wales 330
South Yorkshire 1,007
Staffordshire 385
Thames Valley 3
Warwickshire 194
West Yorkshire 144
TOTAL: 7,930

Note: 1,275 of those arrested in this period were released without charge.

The information available centrally about charges laid in connection with the miners' dispute during the same period is as follows:

Offence Number of charges
Section 5 of the Public Order Act (conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace) 3,471
Obstruction of a police constable 1,554
Obstruction of the highway 596
Criminal damage 758
Criminal damage with intent to endanger life 4
Arson 10
Assaulting a police constable 280
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm 305
Greivous bodily harm 36
Theft 146
Resisting arrest 18
Offensive weapon 42
Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875 236
Burglary 17
Handling stolen property 1
Drug offence 1
Breach of the Peace 132
Breach of bail conditions 28
Attempt (various offences) 17
Drunkenness 56
Unlawful assembly 507
Railway offences 17
Affray 21
Riot 137
Incitement 1
Reckless driving 15
Threats/Conspiracy to cause damage 12
Explosives offence 3
Threats to kill 3
Unlawful imprisonment 2
Other offences 143
TOTAL: 8,569

Of the 6,655 people charged during this period, 3,606 cases have not yet been resolved; 645 of the cases dealt with resulted in acquittals, and 2,404 in convictions.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been sent to aid other forces from each force in England and Wales for each week of the mining strike.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there have been from other areas in each aided force for each week of the mining strike.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers in each force in England and Wales have been placed on stand-by in their force areas for each week of the mining strike.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The information requested is not recorded centrally.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of metropolitan police district support units that have been sent to aid other forces for each week of the mining strike.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The Commissioner tells me that officers serving in district support units of the Metropolitan police have been sent on mutual aid to other police forces on only one occasion. This was on the night of 18–19 June, when 93 officers drawn from district support units attended at Betteshanger colliery, Kent.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the numbers of metropolitan police vehicles employed each week in policing the mining strike in aided force areas.

Mr. Giles Shaw

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the total number of (a) uniformed police and (b) Criminal Investigation Department and Special Branch officers who have been sent each week to aid other forces during the miners' strike.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The table gives, to the nearest 100, the maximum number of uniformed officers deployed to aid other forces during each week of the dispute.

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 10 June 5,800
11 June to 17 June 5,500
18 June to 24 June 8,100
25 June to 1 July 4,900
2 July to 8 July 4,800
9 July to 15 July 5,300
16 July to 22 July 5,200
23 July to 29 July 4,600
30 July to 5 August 4,500
6 August to 12 August 4,600
13 August to 19 August 5,400
20 August to 26 August 5,600

Week Number
27 August to 2 September 6,100
3 September to 9 September 6,800
10 September to 16 September 5,900
17 September to 23 September 6,300
24 September to 30 September 6,600
1 October to 7 October 6,600
8 October to 14 October 6,600
15 October to 21 October 5,300
22 October to 28 October 5,500
29 October to 4 November 5,500
5 November to 11 November 5,400

The information requested about CID and Special Branch officers is not available centrally.

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