§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will initiate a nationwide campaign to assist distressed parents in locating their missing children.
§ The Prime MinisterI can well understand the distress of parents in such circumstances but doubt whether a Government campaign would provide the answer. The information which is necessary operationally for the police is already available; in addition the Metropolitan police missing persons bureau, which is a measure of the particular problem experienced in London, provides some statistical indication of the numbers of children involved. The views of the Association of Chief Police Officers were sought on whether a more comprehensive facility was required but the police considered that arrangements for recording vulnerable missing persons on the police national computer were adequate and effective.