HC Deb 18 February 1982 vol 18 cc395-6
13. Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making with discussions on a system of fully independent investigation of complaints against the police.

Mr. Whitelaw

I have discussed with the Police Advisory Board reform of the police complaints procedures. As I have informed the House, since the Select Committee on Home Affairs is conducting an inquiry into police complaints and related matters, we shall wish to take its report into account before bringing forward proposals for change.

Mr. Hooley

Is the Home Secretary aware that any halfway house would be as futile and useless as the present hotch-potch arrangement, which has proved to be of no effect at all, and that the public will be satisfied only with a mechanism wholly independent of the police themselves?

Mr. Whitelaw

What the hon. Gentleman describes as a hotch-potch is what he voted for when the Police Bill was introduced. As for the changes, I do not accept that a completely independent procedure is the only solution that will satisfy the public. We have to find a reasonable arrangement that meets the requirements both for a sensible independent element in the attitude to complaints and for the right of a chief officer to discipline his force. But if the House and the country are worried about crime, as they rightly are, let us not become so involved in a complaints system that we hold back young police officers who should be pursuing criminals.

Mr. Hooley

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman is utterly incorrect to say that I did not oppose the earlier provision.

Mr. Whitelaw

That legislation was passed by the Labour Government, which the hon. Gentleman supported. If he did not vote for it, I apologise to him.

Mr. Pitt

Does the Home Secretary agree that as there is continuing anxiety about complaints against the police, and as investigations are still going on, it would be a good idea to institute some pilot schemes so that we may reach a reasonable decision on this matter?

Mr. Whitelaw

No, I think that it is right to proceed as we are, through the Select Committee on Home Affairs, to try to devise a sensible system. Nevertheless, I hope that we shall not divert the attention of the police, by an overemphasis on complaints, from the real need to pursue criminals.

Mr. Jessel

Would it not be better if the Opposition tried to give a little moral support to the police just for once?

Mr. Whitelaw

I hope that both sides of the House will give the strongest possible support to our police service. If we did not have 8,000 more police than we had two and a half years ago, the complaints about violent crime would be far worse. Indeed, the situation would be overwhelming.