HL Deb 12 December 2000 vol 620 cc214-6

2.44 p.m.

Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they are considering to reduce the number of deaths from accidents involving police vehicles in the light of the report by the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority recording that there has been an annual increase, since 1997–98, in such accidents.

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, these are tragic incidents that concern chief officers of police as much as they concern noble Lords. Reducing all such casualties is an operational matter for the police service. The 1998 Association of Chief Police Officers' report on police pursuit driver training—the Lind report—has been accepted in principle by all 43 police forces in England and Wales. Its recommendations are being taken forward nationally. We shall continue to monitor developments with ACPO to see that it is put into effect.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. The report urges action on the lines proposed in my debate of 25th March last year. Will the Minister confirm that Home Office figures show that about 2,000 people a year are injured in police car chases or when the police are responding—at excessive speed and often going through traffic lights—to emergency calls, many of which prove to be false alarms?

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, the most recent statistics available, from 1998–99, show that there were 1,863 injuries sustained. One force was missing from that total, so I guess that the noble Lord's assumption is right. However, the detail of the statistics gives some interesting background. Some 73 per cent of the vehicles involved in those accidents were travelling below the local speed limit. Some 20 per cent of the incidents occurred during routine patrols, 23 per cent arose from responses to emergency calls and 45 per cent occurred during pursuit and follow situations. The picture is mixed, but the important point is that the incidents arose as a result of the police properly carrying out their important duties, some of which were emergencies.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes

My Lords, do not the police follow strict guidelines? If they go through a red light in an emergency, they do so with caution. Is there any breakdown of whether more accidents occur in rainy weather because of the reduced visibility for pedestrians and drivers?

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, there is no such breakdown, but 55 per cent of the accidents occurred during the hours of darkness, and that may he significant. The noble Baroness is right that the police are under strict instructions in such situations. They can travel at speed only when they are properly going about their police business and when it is important for them to get to an incident rapidly. We are looking for improvements as a result of the Lind report. It is too early to tell how profound those improvements will be, but we are working closely with ACPO and all the police forces in England and Wales.

Lord Ashley of Stoke

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the figures for the number of people injured are shocking and unacceptable? The police may have guidelines, but they are clearly not keeping to them. Although we admire the work of the police and support them in every possible way, their attitudes to driving must be changed. Those changes can be made with strong advice from the Government.

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, I am grateful for my noble friend's confidence in the effects of strong advice from the Government. The Lind report contained 33 important recommendations. Many relate to improving the quality of training. That will provide us with a long-term answer to some of the problems. That is why we fully support all aspects of the report and want to work closely with ACPO to reduce the number of tragic incidents and accidents, which lead to far too many deaths as a consequence of police work.

Lord Dholakia

My Lords, have there been any cuts in expenditure on training police officers for highspeed chases? How many successful prosecutions have been brought against police officers in connection with the 1,800 or so incidents that he mentioned?

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, I cannot give the noble Lord the figures that he seeks this afternoon in relation to prosecutions. I believe that the details are sketchy. It is also a complex area. Many accidents will have occurred not as a direct result of the police giving pursuit or going to an emergency situation; they may have been a by-product of a police vehicle travelling in a particular direction. However, we are concerned about this matter, and one of our concerns related to the standard and quality of training and the lack of uniformity nationally. That issue is being pursued as a result of the Lind report.

Viscount Simon

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that when a police officer is called to an emergency, it is only with hindsight that it is determined to be an emergency? Does he also agree that if in a pursuit and follow situation people are unfortunately killed, had they followed their legal obligation to stop when ordered so to do, those deaths would not have occurred?

Lord Bassam of Brighton

My Lords, it is difficult to give a blanket summary of each and every situation which involves police officers who are in pursuit or attending to an emergency. Some involve life and death situations in themselves and that is why the police adopt such urgency. I can only say that greater care is now being given. We are on the case and are encouraging improvement through greater training and access to training. We are seeking to ensure that police drivers involved in this dangerous work are trained to the highest possible level. I believe that in the longer term that will reduce the number of incidents to which I have referred.