§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a full list of changes in personnel, appointments and organisation within the Metro. politan Police.
§ Mr. Maudling:I have approved the following changes:
(a) Appointments on promotion to fill vacancies caused by retirement or promotion—
Commissioner—R. Mark, Esq., Q.P.M.
Deputy Commissioner—J. M. Hill, Esq.,
C.B.E., D.F.C., Q.P.M.
Assistant Commissioner B (Traffic) Department—H. J. Hunt, Esq., O.B.E.
Assistant Commissioner D (Personnel) Department—R. J. Mastel, Esq.,
C.B.E. Deputy Assistant Commissioners—
S. Coates, Esq. (To A-Administration Department).
H. Hodgson, Esq. (To Inspectorate).
J. S. Wilson, Esq., O.B.E. (To C-C.I.D. Department).
(b) Appointments on transfer to posts in the same rank—
Assistant Commissioner—C. P. J. Woods, Esq.—from B to C Department.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner—J. S. Crisp, Esq.—from Inspectorate to D. Department.
(c) The creation of a new Complaints Investigation Branch (A10).
In addition, with my general agreement, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has announced a number of transfers of men and modifications of internal arrangements.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now state the nature of the complaints procedure to be employed by the Metropolitan Police.
§ Mr. Maudling:I have approved organisational changes under which, from 1st June, 1972, serious complaints will be investigated by officers of a new branch based at New Scotland Yard, as foreshadowed in the statement I made in the House on 2nd December last. As I then made clear, in appropriate cases the inquiries will be carried out by officers from other forces. Less serious complaints will, as now, be investigated by divisional 413W officers. All complaints will be investigated in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Police Act and the Discipline Regulations.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made against the Metropolitan Police force during the most recent year available; and how many led to investigation and apology, respectively.
§ Mr. Maudling:The Police Act, 1964, requires all complaints against the police to be investigated. In 1971, investigations were completed into 4,314 complaints which had been made against members of the Metropolitan police. Of those, 1,149 were withdrawn by the complainant; in a further 280 cases the complainant was unwilling to proceed with the complaint. A further 2,619 were not substantiated. There were 266 which were substantiated, and in these cases an apology was made.