§ Mr. Aitkenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will monitor the workings of the Police Act 1976 by publishing in the Official Report at quarterly intervals from 1st September 1977 (a) the number of complaints forwarded to the Police Complaints Board in each quarter, (b) the number of complaints forwarded to the Police Complaints Board in which the complainant had expressed satisfaction with the police inquiry and subsequent action, (c) the number of cases under consideration or pending by the Police Complaints Board at the end of each quarter, and (d) the longest time a deferred case under consideration by the Police Complaints Board had to await disposal;
(2) if he will monitor the workings of the Police Act 1976 by publishing in the Official Report at quarterly intervals from 1st September 1977 (a) the number of police officers acquitted by the courts, 578W in respect of criminal offences and motoring offences, respectively, and (b) the number of police officers acquitted by the courts in respect of criminal offences and motoring offences in which discipline proceedings were instituted;
(3) if he will monitor the workings of the Police Act 1976 by publishing in the Official Report at quarterly intervals from 1st September 1977 (a) the number of complaints forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions by the police forces, (b) the number of complaints forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions by police forces in which he subsequently decided to take no action, and (c) the number of complaints forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions by police forces in which he decided to take no action, in which the deputy chief officer instituted discipline proceedings and those in which discipline proceedings ended in acquittal respectively;
(4) if he will monitor the workings of the Police Act 1976 by publishing in the Official Report at quarterly intervals from 1st September 1977 (a) the number of civil servants and clerks and typists employed by the Police Complaints Board, and (b) the total cost of the Police Complaints Board and its staff, including pensions, and other relevant charges each quarter;
(5) if he will monitor the workings of the Police Act 1976 by publishing in the Official Report at quarterly intervals from 1st September 1977 (a) the number of cases tried by a tribunal each quarter, together with the verdict of each and the punishment awarded, (b) the number of cases in each quarter in which the Police Complaints Board approved proceedings recommended by the Deputy Chief Constable, directed proceedings by the Deputy Chief Constable, or took no action a tall, respectively, and (c) the number of officers who resigned before the completion of disciplinary charges.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo. While I shall be keeping the new complaints procedure generally under review, I would not think it necessary to ask those concerned to produce all the information requested on so frequent a basis, which could probably not be done without adding to the number of staff employed. A good deal of relevant information will doubtless be published in the Annual Reports of Her 579W Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis and the Police Complaints Board. It is for the Board, of course, to decide, subject to Sections 8 and 9 of the Police Act 1976, what information to publish in its annual reports, and the release of information about its work at more frequent intervals is equally a matter within its discretion.
§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been murdered in the course of duty in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. JohnThe figures are as follows:
Police officers on duty who were victims of homicide, England and Wales 1972–1976. Cases subsequently decided by the Court to be murder Year offence recorded Number of offences 1972 … … … … 1 1973 … … … … 1 1974 … … … … 1 1975 … … … … 1 1976 … … … … —