HL Deb 15 July 1980 vol 411 cc1764-6WA
Baroness HORNSBY-SMITH

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they propose to publish the triennial review report of the Police Complaints Board and whether they will make a statement.

Lord BELSTEAD

The triennial review report of the Police Complaints Board is being published today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

We welcome this report, based as it is on the board's detailed examination of over 30,000 matters of complaint against police officers over a period of almost three years, and the most careful consideration of the important issues involved. The main recommendation, contained in Chapter V of the report, is that complaints of serious injury should be investigated by a specialist body of investigating officers answerable to an independent lawyer, preferably one who has exercised judicial office. The board recognise that before a final decision is taken on the recommendation a number of important issues need to be considered further. They include, in particular, the relationship between the proposed investigating body, the Director of Public Prosecutions, chief officers of police and the complaints board. My right honourable friend is therefore inviting representatives of the professional police associations to join the Director of Public Prosecutions and representatives of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, of the complaints board and of the department in a working party to consider in detail how it might be possible to implement the recommendation. We are glad to announce that Lord Plowden has accepted my right honourable friend's invitation to chair the working party, in a personal capacity. We hope that the working party's report will be available by the end of the year so that in consultation with the Police Advisory Board an early decision can be taken.

The board's other main recommendation, in Chapter VII of their report, is that the role of the Director of Public Prosecutions in complaints cases should be modified so as to provide that within a specified range of minor criminal offences the deputy chief constable would be free to bring criminal proceedings without reference to the director: alternatively, he would be required to refer the papers to the board with his assessment of the case for bringing disciplinary charges. The process of and responsibility for the prosecution of criminal offences is at present under review by the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure. It would not in my right honourable friend's view be appropriate to consider changes in the prosecution arrangements in respect of possible offences by police officers in isolation from the wider issue. Before considering this recommendation further, we therefore propose to await the Royal Commission's report, which I understand should he available by the end of the year.

The Police Complaints Board's triennial review report contains in addition to those to which I have already referred, a number of subsidiary but important recommendations for other improvements in the existing complaints system. Our department will be consulting direct the organisations concerned about the possible implementation of these proposals.

My right honourable friend will welcome comments on the board's report, from Members of Parliament and from the general public.

House adjourned at seven minutes before eleven o'clock.