HC Deb 04 November 1965 vol 718 cc1204-7
8. Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he omitted from his pamphlet dealing with complaints about the police a paragraph previously agreed with the Police Council.

9. Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend the leaflet, Police and Public, so as to include a reference to the responsibilities of those who made complaints.

12. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances the caveat desired by the Police Federation was omitted from the pamphlet on complaints about the police issued to the public; what representations he has received from the Police Federation or elsewhere; how many of the pamphlets have been circulated; and whether he will make a statement.

Sir F. Soskice

The Royal Commission on the Police recommended that a leaflet describing the procedure for dealing with complaints about the conduct of police officers should be prepared and made available to persons making complaints. In the course of a review of police disciplinary regulations, a draft of a leaflet was considered by a working party comprising representatives of my Department, the police and local authority associations, and this draft, which included the caveat referred to by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison), was later placed before the Police Council, though not specifically discussed. In the process of subsequent re-editing changes were made and the caveat omitted as hardly relevant to the context of the leaflet. I accept that the Police Federation attach importance to the caveat, and I regret that there was misunderstanding about this.

I propose to give further consideration to the wording of the leaflet when it is reprinted, in consultation with the local authority and police associations.

Representations have been received from the County Councils Association, the Association of Chief Officers of Police, the Police Federation, two local police authorities and five members of the public.

About 90,000 copies of the leaflet were circulated at the end of August to police stations and citizens' advice bureaux, where they are available on request.

Mr. Speaker

I hope that when Answers are very long Ministers will ask leave to take them at half-past Three.

Mr. Fisher

Surely it would have been fairer to the police, and would have given a better balance to the leaflet as a whole, if the missing words had, in fact, been included as I believe the police thought would be the case, and I wonder whether the right hon. Gentleman will seriously reconsider his decision in this matter and consider including the missing words in future issues of this leaflet?

Sir F. Soskice

I have said, and I gladly repeat, that when reissues are made of the leaflet I will take into account what the hon. Gentleman has said.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that many of my constituents were deeply disturbed by what they considered to be the undermining of the police by the responsible Minister at a time of police shortage and a boom in crime? Will the Minister consider withdrawing the first version entirely? Should not he in the first place have hearkened to the Police Federation, even though the Chancellor of the Exchequer is no longer its spokesman?

Sir F. Soskice

I have considered that. There is no evidence, at any rate so far as the figures which I have had from the Commissioner are concerned, that the publication of the leaflet has led to any increase in complaints. Indeed, it is not designed for that purpose. It is a simple statement of the procedure to be followed by somebody who wishes to make a complaint. It is not in any sense an invitation to make complaints, and, as I said, I think the proper course is to wait until there is a reissue.

Mr. Thorneycroft

Was not this rather an odd operation at a time when the police are facing a mounting crime wave? If the Minister cannot withdraw the offending circular, will he issue another circular containing this caveat and emphasising the responsibility which rests on those who make complaints about the police?

Sir F. Soskice

I have already answered that question, but I simply add that I accept that petty complaints waste a lot of time. Withdrawing the circular will not make the slightest difference, and I hope that members of the public will be very careful when they think it proper to use this procedure in making complaints.