§ Mr. Bob Dunnasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation he has received from Superintendent John Keyte on behalf of the Superintendents Association concerning an investigation into allegations made about police treatment of persons in custody; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawChief Superintendent Keyte wrote to me on 17 March. My private secretary replied on my behalf on 8 April. The text of the reply is as follows
The Home Secretary has asked me to thank you for your letter of 17th March about recently reported comments on the police complaints system.The Home Secretary has noted your views. You will be aware from his reply to a Parliamentary Question on 18th March how matters stand on the report of the Working Party on the establishment of an independent element in the investigation of complaints against the police. The Home Secretary said that in the light of the report, and against the background of the general considerations mentioned in the Police Complaints Board's triennial review report, he will be considering further, in consultation with the Police Advisory Board, what changes, if any, may be necessary in the present arrangements for dealing with complaints against the police. As you know, a meeting of the Police Advisory Board has now been arranged for 15th July. You may also know that in an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on 20th March Mr. Meacher raised the subject of injuries sustained by persons in police custody. In rejecting Mr. Meacher's call for an inquiry, the Minister of State, Mr. Mayhew, took the opportunity to draw attention to the principal findings of the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into deaths in police custody and to emphasise that the police are also entitled to be treated fairly.With regard to Mr. Meacher's dossier of cases, Ministers have made it clear in Parliament and in correspondence with him that allegations against police officers can be dealt with only in accordance with the statutory procedures and that it would not be appropriate for the Home Secretary to intervene in these arrangements or to comment on the merits of individual cases.