To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate, for each year from 1985 to date, how many operations have been conducted in each year concerning (a) material of a homosexual nature, (b) material of a heterosexual nature and (c) all materials.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available does not distinguish between operations concerning material of a homosexual and heterosexual nature. The total number of operations conducted by the Metropolitan police obscene publications branch in each year covering all materials was:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the overall cost of operations of the obscene publications squad in each year from 1985 to date and as to the number of officers assigned to the squad on a yearly average, for each of those years.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as follows. The costs given relate to manpower and employment only.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate which officer, and at what rank, is in overall command of the work of the obscene publications squad; and what policy exists as to the priority areas of operations of the squad.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the overall command of the obscene publications branch is undertaken by a detective chief superintendent. The priorities of the squad reflect force policy concerning the exploitation of vulnerable persons, especially children. In order of importance the priorities are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate, for each year from 1985 to date (a) the number of charges brought as a result of operations by the obscene publications squad, (b) the number of prosecutions conducted and (c) the number of convictions obtained.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to list for each year from 1985 to date, the subject of each of the major operations conducted by the obscene publications squad, the duration of the operation, and the number of officers involved.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the subject of each of the major operations conducted by the obscene publications branch was the seizure of either suspected obscene material or suspected indecent material relating to children. No records are kept of the duration of each operation or the number of officers involved.