Police (Computers) (Hansard, 21 April 1983)

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what numerical distribution he envisages of the terminals attached to the planned Scottish criminal record office computer system for each police force; and which police computer systems will have, or are intended to have, computer-to-computer links with the Scottish criminal record office computer system.

§ Mr. Allan Stewart
The detailed operational requirement for the planned Scottish criminal record office computer system envisages some 180 terminals distributed among the eight Scottish police forces down to divisional or subdivisional level. It is not intended that force computer systems will have computer to computer links with the Scottish criminal record office computer system. There will, however, be a common use of communications equipment, through an interface connection, which will permit a user of the Lothian and Borders police or Fife constabulary computer systems to access either his own force computer or the Scottish criminal record office computer from the same terminal.

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Scottish police forces have already obtained, or are planning to instal, computers primarily intended to support (a) command or control systems, (b) criminal information systems, and (c) fully computerised criminal intelligence systems; what is his role in approving the function of the computer in each of these cases; and what independent discretion chief constables have in deciding which of these systems is required.

§ Mr. Allan Stewart
A chief constable who wishes to obtain a computer system for any purpose requires the

District Ward Resident population not in employment by age group

Total 16–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69 70–74 75 and over

1 Wellgate 240 40 42 23 24 21 15 17 17 24 16 0 0 1

2 Baxter Park 200 21 36 31 28 9 10 10 17 22 14 1 0 1

3 Craigie Bank 155 13 12 14 14 2 6 13 19 32 27 3 0 0

4 Craigie Barns 126 13 22 12 11 9 4 10 9 18 17 1 0 0

5 West Ferry 237 42 48 24 14 13 13 18 22 23 20 0 0 0

6 Broughty Ferry 113 13 23 10 10 2 14 9 8 11 11 1 0 1

7 Balgillo 92 16 11 11 9 6 8 6 11 10 4 0 0 0

8 Eastern 110 23 12 8 15 9 4 9 7 9 13 0 0 1

9 Douglas 449 77 87 57 39 30 26 29 35 42 26 1 0 0

10 Drungeith 388 52 82 54 53 30 31 23 19 25 18 1 0 0

11 Longhaugh 619 103 141 96 60 56 45 44 34 28 12 0 0 0

12 Whitfield 744 116 156 138 118 59 51 42 35 18 10 1 0 0

13 Fintry North 615 107 126 86 72 51 33 34 47 36 22 0 0 1

14 Fintry South 475 97 93 58 53 24 44 29 40 25 12 0 0 0

15 Caird 486 102 100 54 40 37 42 34 21 37 16 2 0 1

16 Midmill 818 160 142 96 97 61 53 65 74 53 16 0 0 1

17 Clepington 126 11 9 14 15 14 11 9 11 16 16 0 0 0

18 Maryfield 194 24 39 21 16 20 16 17 16 16 8 1 0 0

19 Coldside 316 36 43 34 28 15 31 30 32 40 27 0 0 0

20 Hilltown 413 66 72 54 34 26 34 40 35 37 15 0 0 0

21 Central 161 19 35 34 14 11 11 9 9 9 8 1 1 0

22 Riverside 108 14 20 11 10 4 11 9 8 11 9 0 0 1

23 Dudhope 322 48 50 34 31 27 18 23 30 36 24 1 0 0

24 Logie 151 15 35 15 15 15 7 11 9 15 10 4 0 0

162W
agreement of the police authority to the expenditure involved and my right hon. Friend's approval of that expenditure for police grant purposes. My right hon. Friend's specific approval of the functions to be performed by the system is not required, but his Department provides guidance, as appropriate. According to our records, information requested in the first part of the question is as follows: (i) "Command and control" systemsOperational:Strathclyde, Tayside. Planned: Fife, Grampian. (ii) Computerised criminal information systems Operational: Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Lothian and Borders, Northern, Strathclyde, Tayside. Planned: Fife, Grampian.
Notes: (1) "Command and control" is an imprecise term: it typically includes computer systems incorporating facilities in incident logging, resource availability, message switching and, in some cases, a variety of other semi-operational indices — for example, lists of key holders. (2) A computerised criminal information system is one which holds records hitherto kept on paper, relating to crime, criminals and criminal activity. The Scottish Home and Health Department does not distinguish between criminal information and criminal intelligence for this purpose. (3) A force is listed as having a planned system even if the plans are at a preliminary stage. (4) In a number of cases, the computers referred to are not police-dedicated computers, but computers owned by regional councils which are made available to the police for specific applications.

District Ward	Resident population not in employment by age group
		Total	16–19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60–64	65–69	70–74	75 and over
1	Wellgate	240	40	42	23	24	21	15	17	17	24	16	0	0	1
2	Baxter Park	200	21	36	31	28	9	10	10	17	22	14	1	0	1
3	Craigie Bank	155	13	12	14	14	2	6	13	19	32	27	3	0	0
4	Craigie Barns	126	13	22	12	11	9	4	10	9	18	17	1	0	0
5	West Ferry	237	42	48	24	14	13	13	18	22	23	20	0	0	0
6	Broughty Ferry	113	13	23	10	10	2	14	9	8	11	11	1	0	1
7	Balgillo	92	16	11	11	9	6	8	6	11	10	4	0	0	0
8	Eastern	110	23	12	8	15	9	4	9	7	9	13	0	0	1
9	Douglas	449	77	87	57	39	30	26	29	35	42	26	1	0	0
10	Drungeith	388	52	82	54	53	30	31	23	19	25	18	1	0	0
11	Longhaugh	619	103	141	96	60	56	45	44	34	28	12	0	0	0
12	Whitfield	744	116	156	138	118	59	51	42	35	18	10	1	0	0
13	Fintry North	615	107	126	86	72	51	33	34	47	36	22	0	0	1
14	Fintry South	475	97	93	58	53	24	44	29	40	25	12	0	0	0
15	Caird	486	102	100	54	40	37	42	34	21	37	16	2	0	1
16	Midmill	818	160	142	96	97	61	53	65	74	53	16	0	0	1
17	Clepington	126	11	9	14	15	14	11	9	11	16	16	0	0	0
18	Maryfield	194	24	39	21	16	20	16	17	16	16	8	1	0	0
19	Coldside	316	36	43	34	28	15	31	30	32	40	27	0	0	0
20	Hilltown	413	66	72	54	34	26	34	40	35	37	15	0	0	0
21	Central	161	19	35	34	14	11	11	9	9	9	8	1	1	0
22	Riverside	108	14	20	11	10	4	11	9	8	11	9	0	0	1
23	Dudhope	322	48	50	34	31	27	18	23	30	36	24	1	0	0
24	Logie	151	15	35	15	15	15	7	11	9	15	10	4	0	0