HC Deb 02 May 1957 vol 569 cc337-8
2. Mr. Lagden

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to give himself power to initiate disciplinary inquiries into the activities of provincial police forces and the activities of individual members of provincial police forces.

Mr. R. A. Butler

No, Sir. It is an essential feature of the police system of this country that disciplinary control is vested not in the central government but in the local disciplinary authorities.

Mr. Lagden

Is my right hon. Friend aware that hon. Members whose constituencies are served by county forces have no means of raising in this House matters of indiscipline by police officers? Why are they denied rights possessed by hon. Members whose constituences are within the Metropolitan area?

Mr. Butler

It is not for me to interpret the rules of the House. In short, it is because I am personally responsible for the police in the Metropolitan area and in their case for disciplinary matters, and not for the county police.

Mr. Ede

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, in giving consideration to this matter, the great danger to liberty that has occurred through the establishment of State police forces?

Mr. Butler

Yes, and I am perfectly content to interpret the duties of Home Secretary as they have been handed down to me, namely, to keep the Queen's peace by a division of responsibility.