HL Deb 22 May 2000 vol 613 cc65-6WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Royal Parks Agency and English Heritage acted against police advice in not boarding up the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square and the Cenotaph in preparation for the May Day demonstrations in London; and on what date and in what form such police advice was given to the two agencies concerned. [HL2290]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Royal Parks Agency have advised me that on 6 April the Royal Parks Constabulary attended a briefing by the Metropolitan Police at which they were informed of the demonstrations planned for 1 May and advised that damage might occur to the statues on Parliament Square, including the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. A week later the Royal Parks Constabulary received a telephone call from the Metropolitan Police advising that the statues in Parliament Square be boarded up. The Royal Parks Agency took the view that to board up the statues would draw attention to their, and that the hoarding could be used as weapons by demonstrators in the event of a riot. The Metropolitan Police were informed of this decision at a meeting on 26 April where it was confirmed that others had also decided not to board up statues.

English Heritage has advised me that it is clear that it did not act against police advice. On 17 April, English Heritage received telephone advice from the Metropolitan Police that, in view of the potential for vandalism during the likely demonstrations over the May Day bank holiday, English Heritage might wish to consider erecting protective hoarding around the Cenotaph. Preparations to that end were begun by English Heritage and its consultants, EC Harris. On 20 April, EC Harris, acting under English Heritage's instructions, sought further advice and attended a briefing meeting with the police. Advice at this stage was that hoarding around the Cenotaph could exacerbate the security problem. It could draw attention to the monument, provide a potential hiding place for bombs, and be used for ammunition by rioters. English Heritage's consultants clearly understood that an additional police presence would be allocated to the Cenotaph in addition to the security measures already in place. On the basis of what English Heritage saw as clear police advice, it then stood down the contingency planning for protective hoarding around the Cenotaph.