§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether 776W in any cases referred to the Police Complaints Board the police officer complained of has either not been supplied with a copy of the complaint, or has declined to make a statement to the Board.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees:As the relevant regulations do not have the precise effect suggested in my hon. Friend's Question I am writing to him to explain the position.
§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made to the Police Complaints Board since its inception; and what proportion of these were initially sent through local police force chief officers.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees:The Board has informed me that between 1st June 1977, when the new procedures under the Police Act 1976 came into force, and 30th September, 542 complaints cases, following investigation by the police, were forwarded by chief officers to the Board under the provisions of Section 2(1) of the Act or Regulation 4 of the Police (Withdrawn, Anonymous Etc. Complaints) Regulations 1977. During the same period, 39 complainants wrote direct to the Board. Only two of these complaints related to events on or after 1st June; one was forwarded to the appropriate chief officer but the other complainant did not wish this to be done.