§ Sir Nicholas FairbairnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the maximum and minimum number of forms which must be completed by a police officer making an arrest followed by(a) release and (b) detention; and what, on average, is the time taken to complete these formalities.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 July 1993]: The minimum number of forms which must be completed by an officer making an arrest is two, rising possibly to 20 in exceptional circumstances. On average, the time taken to complete this process is about 60 minutes. Some police forces are introducing automated systems which will reduce the need to complete successive forms manually.