§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines have been issued to chief constables regarding the circumstances in which belts, braces, ties and shoelaces should be removed from persons detained in police custody.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe circumstances in which a detained person may be deprived of articles of clothing while in police detention are set out in section 54 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and code C of the codes of practice which were issued to police forces in January of this year. These lay down that a detained person may retain clothing and personal effects unless the custody officer at the police station considers that he may use them to cause harm to himself or others, interfere with evidence, damage property or effect an escape. If the custody officer so considers, he has the authority to withhold such articles as he thinks necessary.