§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will invite environmental health officers to inspect police stations, including cells and canteens.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo. Environmental health officers already have powers to inspect police kitchens and canteens in the provinces. In the Metropolitan police district, the premises are regularly inspected by the public health engineers branch of the Metropolitan police. Lay visitors are already invited to visit police cells to ensure that the conditions of detention conform to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 codes of practice.