§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the findings of the pilot scheme into Child Rescue Alert carried out by Sussex Police. [127570]
§ Ms BlearsThe findings of the pilot will not be published. However, they have informed the setting up of a national text messaging service by Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO), which can be used to quickly alert the public in the event of child abductions.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on individual police forces entering into commercial contracts with private companies providing text messaging services for child abduction warning schemes as envisaged in the Child Rescue Alert Scheme in Sussex. [127571]
§ Ms BlearsThe Vice Chair of the Information Management Communications Group of the Association of Chief Police Officers has written to all Chief Constables and Commissioners of Police advising them to first discuss any intention to enter into such commercial contracts with the E-policing Management Group and Police Information Technology Organisation.
I support the advice given in that letter.