§ Mr. Mappasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the police area amalgamation proposals in the North-West area.
§ Mr. CallaghanI have accepted the main recommendations made by Mr. D. P. Croom-Johnson, Q.C., following the local inquiry which he held into objections to the proposed scheme for the compulsory amalgamation for police purposes of Lancashire and thirteen county boroughs. I am grateful to him for preparing a most comprehensive report, which has been published today.
He recommends, subject to a reservation regarding Barrow-in-Furness, that the scheme should be confirmed and should come into operation on 1st April, 1969. He suggests that Barrow-in-Furness should be included only if there is no early prospect of legislation enabling it and the neighbouring part of Lancashire to be amalgamated with the area of the Cumbria Constabulary. I do not consider that there is any early prospect of legislation for this purpose, and I have informed all the police authorities concerned of my intention to proceed with the proposed Lancashire amalgamation of the 13 police forces.
§ Mr. Moyleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made with police amalgamations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CallaghanSatisfactory progress is being made.
87WI have today announced my decision to proceed with amalgamation of 13 forces in Lancashire. I recently approved arrangements for voluntary amalgamation of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire and York. In the light of particular local circumstances following on the reports of the Inspectors appointed by the Home Office I thought it right exceptionally to allow Tees-side and Kingston-upon-Hull to retain separate forces.
Two schemes of amalgamation have been under discussion for the North-East, one for Northumberland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Tynemouth and the other for Durham, Gateshead and South Shields. Negotiations to promote these schemes on a voluntary basis had been proceeding well, but I recently received representations that either amalgamation should be postponed to await local government reorganisation or the two schemes should be combined into one. I have replied that the need for police amalgamation is in my view too urgent to wait—a view supported by the report on the Lancashire inquiry—and that, since I see no prospect of one large amalgamation going forward speedily with the agreement of all the constituent authorities, I consider it right to proceed with the two schemes. The police authorities of Northumberland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Tynemouth have now been informed of my decision to propose a compulsory scheme for their areas; and I have informed the authorities of Durham, Gateshead and South Shields that, if they cannot give me assurances that negotiations will proceed on a voluntary basis, I shall also initiate a compulsory scheme for their areas.
Bradford recently informed me of their desire to withdraw from the voluntary scheme which they have been discussing with the West Riding and six other authorities. I acquiesced in this, in order to secure a voluntary scheme for all the remaining authorities quickly. The amalgamation of the other seven forces is proceeding.
Negotiations for the amalgamation of Warwickshire and Coventry, which were well advanced, were suspended because of a difference of opinion about the appointment of officers and have now broken down. I have asked that the position should be considered further and 88W have indicated that I shall if necessary initiate a compulsory scheme.
An advanced stage had been reached in negotiations for amalgamation of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil when the Cardiff authority represented to me that they should retain a separate force. One factor in this change of mind is the decision of the "shadow" police authority to establish the administrative headquarters of the combined force at Bridgend rather than in a new building which will shortly be completed in Cardiff. It is my view that the efficiency of the combined force would be best served by having these headquarters at Cardiff. I attach importance to proceeding with amalgamation on this basis and I have therefore asked the authorities concerned to resume preparation of a voluntary scheme. If they are unwilling to do so, I shall initiate a compulsory scheme.