§ Mr. Pendryasked the Attorney-General, for the last three years, what is the number of complaints against the police investigated by the Director of Public Prosecutions that have taken more than six months to complete; and what is the number of complaints submitted for six months or more that remain outstanding.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Director of Public Prosecutions does not investigate complaints against the police. It is not his function, nor does he have the facilities, to do so. Such complaints are investigated by the police and, unless the chief officer of police is satisfied that no criminal offence has been committed, the matter is then referred to the director.
Whether the hon. Gentleman refers to the time between the making of the complaint and the completion of the police investigation; or to the time between the submission of papers to the director and the decision by him whether or not to institute criminal proceedigs; or to the total of these two periods; the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Attorney-General what, in cases of investigation by the Director of Public Prosecutions into complaints against the police, are the most usual reasons for failure to complete investigations within six months.
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§ The Attorney-GeneralI refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to his previous question and would add that, where a complaint is associated with criminal proceedings that are outstanding against the complainant himself, it is the normal practice, subject to the wishes of the complainant, to delay completion of the police investigation of his complaint until such time as those criminal proceedings have been disposed of.