§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to upgrade the computer system in the missing persons bureau in New Scotland Yard.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIt is for the Commission of Police of the Metropolis to determine whether the computer system currently used in the bureau should be upgraded. I understand that he has this under consideration, but it will have to be considered against other needs.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will take steps to ensure that persons whose names are on the register of missing persons in the missing persons bureau at New Scotland Yard are removed therefrom when they have been found;
(2) whether he will take steps to require the notification to the police national computer bureau and to the missing persons bureau at New Scotland Yard of persons known to be missing in the Metropolitan police district who are not themselves vulnerable, but whom the police have reason to believe may cause harm to others.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThese are operational matters for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand however that when the missing persons bureau is notified that a person has been found their records are updated accordingly; and that the bureau contains information on persons missing in the Metropolitan police district who are believed to be a risk to others.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what crimes have allegedly been committed by persons who are both missing and wanted for alleged crimes, during the last year for which records are available.
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§ Mr. Douglas HoggThis information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to require all police authorities to inform the police national computer bureau of every unidentified dead body found in their jurisdiction.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThis is a matter for individual chief officers of police. I understand however that chief officers do circulate details of unidentified bodies as necessary and may use the police national computer broadcast system for this purpose.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has considered the report of the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the creation of a national register for missing persons;
(2) whether he will create a national register for missing persons as recommended by the report of the Association of Chief Police Officers; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how much he estimates it would cost to create a national register for missing persons as recommended by the Association of Chief Police Officers.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Association of Chief Police Officers has set up a working party to review police procedures for dealing with inquiries relating to missing persons. We have not yet seen the report, which I understand has yet to be considered by the association's council. We will be happy to consider any recommendations which the association may put to us.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will require all chief officers of forces other than the Metropolitan police to provide him with statistics relating to missing persons, similar to those which he supplied to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West concerning the Metropolitan district, in his answer of 5 December,Official Report, columns 30-31.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Member to the reply to his questions on 5 December at columns30-31.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will discuss methods whereby records in respect of missing and of wanted persons, respectively, may be made available where required by police trying to locate such persons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe decision on whether, and in what circumstances, information about missing and wanted persons should be circulated or otherwise made available is an operational matter for chief officers of police, who have established a working party to review police procedures for dealing with inquiries relating to missing persons.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consult the Salvation Army investigation department, so as to assist its efforts to reunite families where one of the spouses or parents has gone missing.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have received no requests for assistance from the Salvation Army investigation department. We would of course be willing to consider any such requests.
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§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has sought European Economic Community funding in order to comply with Council of Europe recommendation R(79)6, concerning the establishment of a national register of missing persons;
(2) what steps have been taken to comply with the Council of Europe recommendation R(79)6 during each of the years since that recommendation was made.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggRecommendation No. R(79)6 of the Committee of Ministers concerns operational procedures which are a matter for chief officers of police.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish the names, ages and last known whereabouts of all persons who have been missing in the Metropolitan police area for more than three months.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIt would not be right for my right hon. Friend to do so. I understand however that the police publish names and other details where it is appropriate to do so in the individual case, for instance where they have particular reason to believe that the person would be in danger.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the instructions concerning procedures for tracing missing persons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggResponsibility for procedures for tracing missing persons rests with individual chief officers of police. It is for them to issue the necessary instructions within their force.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are now wanted in connection with police inquiries in the Metropolitan police district and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, respectively, concerning alleged crimes; and what steps are taken to trace such persons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that on 15 October 1988, 26,093 persons in the Metropolitan police district were wanted in connection with police inquiries concerning alleged crimes. In the whole of the United Kingdom the number of persons wanted was 97,010, although this figure includes missing persons, aliens and people wanted for non-payment of fines who were all excluded from the Metropolitan figure. More detailed figures are not readily available.
Steps taken to trace such persons include the circulation of their details in the Police Gazette, which is sent to all forces. If any of these persons are known to be living in a particular area this is brought to the attention of local police officers during briefings.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will increase liaison with Interpol concerning persons missing in the United Kingdom and wanted in connection with criminal inquiries.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe use of Interpol is an operational matter for the police. All forces are well aware of the facilities provided by Interpol to assist them in their inquiries.
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§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries the Metropolitan police received from other forces in respect of missing persons during the last year for which records are available.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe available information is published in the report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1987, Cm. 389, a copy of which is in the Library.