§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines he has issued on the appointment of chairmen of police community consultative groups; [39234]
(2) how many chairmen of police community consultative groups (a) are and (b) are planned to be nominated from (i) the relevant police authority and (ii) non-police members of PCCGs. [39236]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 28 February 2002]: Section 96 of the Police Act 1996 places a duty on police authorities to make arrangements for obtaining views of people in the force area about matters concerning the policing of the area.
The Act does not specify that this duty should be fulfilled through the establishment of police/community consultative groups which have no formal status set out in statute, and whose constitution and membership is not governed by any binding directives or guidance. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) has issued no specific guidelines on the way in which the chairs of any such groups should be appointed. Information about them is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
In its report published in December 2001, the Community Cohesion Review Team, chaired by Ted Cantle and set up following the disturbances in the north of England last summer, recommended that a good practice guide to community consultation should be developed, and that work is being taken forward.