§ Mr. Cabornasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made against police officers in the United Kingdom in the past 11 months; how many have been upheld; how many such complaints have been associated with the miners' strike; and what number of these have been upheld.
§ Mr. Giles ShawMy right hon. and learned Friend's responsibility covers police forces in England and Wales. The latest general information available relates to 1983. In that year 19,012 complaints cases (which might relate to a number of separate matters of complaint from one or more complainants) from members of the public were recorded against police officers. Of individual complaints disposed of in the same period, 1,448 were sub stantiated, 14,353 were unsubstantiated (including those in respect of which the Police Complaints Board granted a dispensation under the Police (Withdrawn, Anonymous Etc. Complaints) Regulations), and 14,880 were withdrawn or otherwise not proceeded with.
I understand that in the period from 13 March 1984 to 8 January 1985, 530 complaints were made against police officers relating to actions arising during the course of the miners' dispute and 100 of these have been withdrawn. Most of the complaints are still under investigation and the number so far substantiated could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.