§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rough sleepers have been(a) arrested, (b) cautioned and (c) prosecuted for begging in the Metropolitan police area for each of the last five years, and in 1994 to date.
§ Mr. MacleanInformation is not collected centrally on the residential status of persons arrested, cautioned and brought before the magistrates courts in England and Wales.
The table shows the number of persons cautioned and prosecuted for offences of begging and sleeping out by area from 1988 to 1992. Data for 1993 onwards are not yet available. Arrests data are not collected centrally for these specific offences.
71W
Begging Sleeping out Area/Year Cautions Prosecutions Cautions Prosecutions City of London 1988 — — — — 1989 5 5 — — 1990 6 3 — 1 1991 9 11 — — 1992 5 5 — — England and Wales 1988 164 573 13 17 1989 220 1,402 — 24 1990 325 1,640 4 29 1991 540 1,839 8 20 1992 1,016 1,425 2 14
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are given to the Metropolitan police for dealing with beggars; what changes he has made to them recently; and what proposals he has for changing them.
§ Mr. MacleanNone. This is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are given to security staff in his departmental offices in London for dealing with(a) those sleeping rough in departmental doorways and (b) beggars in the vicinity; and how many problems have been experienced with each category in the last three months.
§ Mr. MacleanAs a measure of protective security, staff are instructed to keep the perimeters of buildings clear. No specific instructions are given to the security staff about those sleeping rough or begging. No problems have been experienced in either category within the past three months.