§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in light of the decision by Westminster County Court on 28th July 1982 to award £2,000 damages to Henryk Podlewski for assualt, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution by the Metropolitan Police on 12th March 1978, they will conduct fresh inquiries into the actions of the police officers involved, and whether they will state how, in the light of the jury's findings, it was possible for the Police Complaints Board to say on 8th February 1982 that no disciplinary charges could be made against the police officers involved.
§ Lord EltonIn cases of complaints against the police the power to bring disciplinary proceedings is vested in the appropriate chief officer of police subject to review by the independent Police Complaints Board, and my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has no authority to intervene. The award of civil damages subsequent to a decision of the hoard does not of itself invalidate that decision because the civil and disciplinary reviews are conducted on a different basis and for different purposes. On the other hand, if civil proceedings disclosed fresh facts or allegations relevant to police discipline it would be for the responsible disciplinary authority to initiate further inquiries and to submit the outcome to the hoard as appropriate.