HC Deb 28 October 1999 vol 336 cc964-5W
Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines are issued to the Metropolitan Police on the screening of protestors from the sight of invited members of Governments during state visits to the UK; [96045]

(2) what guidelines are issued to the Metropolitan Police on the removal of placards and flags from peaceful demonstrators during state visits to the UK. [96046]

Mr. Charles Clarke

None.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to report to his Department the number of occasions and the circumstances in which police vehicles have been used to screen peaceful demonstrators from the sight of state visitors to the UK during his term of office as Commissioner. [96047]

Mr. Charles Clarke

I am advised by the Metropolitan Police that the deployment of vehicles in front of demonstrators is a tactic which would only be used when the proximity of demonstrators to Her Majesty the Queen or other protected persons, or the behaviour of demonstrators, was such that it was felt necessary to employ the tactic to ensure the security of the protected persons.

As far as can be ascertained, the only occasion during Sir Paul Condon's term of office on which it was felt necessary to employ this tactic during a State Visit was during the recent visit by the President of China. On one occasion, demonstrators had taken up a position without prior arrangement with police; on a second, missiles were thrown; and on a third, demonstrators broke through crowd control barriers.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has made to Cambridgeshire Constabulary about the policing of the state visit of the President of China. [96233]

Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he gave to the Metropolitan Police regarding the prohibition of peaceful protests during the state visit of the President of China. [96042]

Mr. Charles Clarke

None.