§ 38. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his instructions to the Metropolitan Police for the carrying of breathalysers; and how many have been distributed among the Metropolitan Police.
§ Mr. Taverne:The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that 44,000 breath-testing devices have been distributed within the force. Apart from those kept at police stations, they are carried by traffic patrols when on patrol duties, and on most vehicles used by officers in uniform.
§ Mr. Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for modernising the administration of the Metropolitan Police.
§ Mr. Callaghan:On 8th August, 1966, my predecessor informed the House of his decision that a firm of management consultants should examine the distribution of functions and responsibilities within the Metropolitan Police. I have now accepted some important interim proposals which have been made by the consultants.
These proposals affect the financial and business management of the force, which is the responsibility of the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District, and the organisation of the civilian staff of the Metropolitan Police. The consultants recommend that the Receiver's administration, which has hitherto been quite separate from that of the Commis 196W sioner, should be merged with it, and that the Receiver should be responsible to the Commissioner both for the proper co-ordination of the work of finance, supply and property management and for the efficiency of the Metropolitan Police Civil Staff as a whole.
As police authority, I welcome these proposals, which will secure more effective budgetary control and greater speed of decision. The new arrangements will come into operation on 1st April, 1968.
The Receiver will act as chief administrative officer of the force and will be more closely associated with the formation of policy. These arrangements can be made without changing his statutory functions; and he will continue to be the accounting officer of the Metropolitan Police Fund answerable to this House for the discharge of the duties defined in the Metropolitan Police Act, 1829, and subsequent Acts, and to issue precepts on the rating authorities in London, subject to my approval, in conformity with the requirements of the Local Government Act, 1948. He will, however, exercise these functions from within a unified police organisation.
There will be no change in the Receiver's responsibilities in connection with the Inner London Magistrates' courts and the probation service.