§ Mr. WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to support the proposed formation of the arson bureau, which was recommended in the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention report "The Prevention of Arson"; what steps have been taken to date; and when the bureau is likely to be running.
§ Mr. John PattenI believe that such a bureau might make a useful reduction in the problems of arson. It will first be necessary to develop the working party's proposals to see whether a precise basis for an arson bureau can be established which is acceptable to the Government, the insurers and to the business community. Discussions for that purpose are in hand.