HL Deb 29 July 1976 vol 373 cc1463-5

11.5 a.m.

Lord INGLEWOOD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what courses are held on a national basis in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland for the more advanced training of special constables and what opportunities there are for selected special constables of the appropriate rank and experience to attend courses such as those at Bramshill which are designed primarily for the regular police forces.

The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)

My Lords, there are no central arrangements for the advanced training of special constables in either England and Wales or Scotland. The training of special constables is a matter for individual chief officers of police.

Lord INGLEWOOD

My Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for that reply, which is not unexpected? While accepting that attendance at a course at Bramshill would be a very special case, may I ask whether the noble Lord would agree that the standards of training for special constables in some few police forces is very casual and far below what it ought to be? May I ask him to draw the attention of all the chief constables to the great services which the Regular Army has performed for the Territorial Army giving help with training at all levels over the past 50 years and more? That is something which is far in advance of what happens in any part of the police force in this country today.

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, as the noble Lord will be aware, the Working Party of the Police Advisory Board is at the moment looking into the question of special constables. Training is one of the matters they are considering. Following the submission of that report, the matter will undoubtedly be considered by all chief officers of police.

Lord BOURNE

My Lords, may I ask the Minister two questions which he was unable to answer—or did not answer—in regard to my Unstarred Question of March 1975? Is the strength of the special constables rising? It was 23,000 according to my latest information, with an establishment of 114,000. Is that strength improving?

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, the strength of the special constabulary is still around 23,000. Establishments are a matter not for the Home Office but for individual chief officers of police.

Lord BOURNE

My Lords, is the noble Lord satisfied with that?

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, undoubtedly we regard this as a matter most appropriately dealt with by chief constables. It is for them to decide what is an appropriate establishment for special constables. It is recognised both by the Home Office and the chief officers of police that special constables do extremely valuable work. This is a matter for chief officers and we can safely leave it in their hands.

Lord SLATER

My Lords, in view of the reply from my noble friend, is it correct to state that the police authorities will be brought into consultation on recommendations from the chief constable for any particular area as to the action and proposals put forward? Would my noble friend agree that it would be wrong to interfere with the recommendations that come from the chief constable to the local police authority?

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

Yes, my Lords, I think there is no real difference on this issue. We recognise that special constables do valuable work and that it is right to allow questions of appropriate levels of establishment to be decided by chief officers, as my noble friend has pointed out. I do not think this is a matter in which we should interfere, but undoubtedly there is a widespread recognition by chief officers of police that special constables do very valuable work and certainly play a most important part in supplementing the strength of the regular police.

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, may I ask whether all chief constables recruit women as special constables?

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, I think the answer to that is almost certainly, Yes. So far as I am aware, men and women are in the special constable forces in every police area in England and Wales.