§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for each of the last four years for which figures are available(a) the number of appeals from police disciplinary hearings he received, (b) the number of such appeals he referred to an appeal tribunal under the 1975 criteria, (c) the number he referred to an appeal tribunal other than under the 1975 criteria, (d) the number dealt with other than by reference to an appeal tribunal, (e) the total and percentage where the original finding was (i) upheld and (ii) reversed, and (f) the total and percentage where the original punishment was (i) upheld and (ii) reversed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydAppeals to the Secretary of State against police disciplinary decisions are made under section 37 of the Police Act 1964, as amended by section 103 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Available figures for the years 1986 to 1989 are as follows:
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Table 2 Outcome 1986 1987 1988 1989 Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Original finding: (a) Upheld 21 95 13 52 12 75 5 83 (b) Reversed 1 5 12 48 4 25 1 17 Original punishment: (a) Upheld 32 74 26 56 33 65 16 64 (b) Varied 11 26 20 44 18 35 9 36 Appeals not yet concluded — — — — — — 24 — The figures in table 2 do not add up to the total appeals determined in table 1. Appeals can be made against finding or punishment or both and may cover more than one disciplinary charge. Where appeals cover more than one charge some charges may be upheld and others not. A decision is not shown in table 2 as upheld unless it was upheld in respect of all charges.
The final decision on all appeals is made personally by the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each of the last four years for which figures are available, the number of complaints made against the police in England and Wales falling within each disciplinary offence contained in the Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985; how many of those were substantiated and how many were unsubstantiated; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe numbers of complaints against the police, the numbers substantiated and the numbers unsubstantiated are published annually in the reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, copies of which are available in the Library. Complaints are not categorised under the same headings as offences against the Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985.