§ Mr. Corrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now announce the outcome of his consultations on aspects of the procedures for investigating complaints against the police in Scotland.
§ Mr. YoungerAs I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend, on 20 October 1982— [Vol. 29, c. 129] —a consultation document was issued at that time seeking views on those recommendations in the report of the Home Affairs Committee which had implications for Scottish procedures. I am grateful to all who submitted comments. For the most part these suggested that in general the present procedures are operating satisfactorily, and I have therefore concluded that no case has been made out for introducing radical changes to the present arrangements. Specific areas have, however, been identified where modest improvements can be made, where guidance would be desirable, and where existing good practices in individual forces might usefully be extended nationally. In particular, it is clear that some clarification of the double jeopardy rule" in its application to Scottish procedures would be helpful, and I am considering with my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate what guidance might be issued to chief constables.
The Lord Advocate has also decided that every person who alleges that a police officer has committed a criminal act will receive from the procurator fiscal, along with a request to attend for precognition, a standard note, which will explain to the complainer the procedures for investigating such allegations and the considerations which are taken into account in deciding whether criminal proceedings should be instituted.
Where complaints are dealt with under police disciplinary procedures it is desirable that complainers should be informed of the outcome in terms as full as circumstances allow. Chief constables already seek to do this, but I propose to re-emphasise the point. There was a general feeling that, subject to certain modifications, the leaflet on complaints procedures which is presently used by some chief constables should be available for issue in all forces. I see considerable advantage in a leaflet of this kind and I propose to recommend its use by all chief constables.
Police authorities also expressed their general satisfaction with the arrangements made within forces to enable them to discharge their statutory duties in complaints matters.
My Department will now discuss with the police representative bodies how best the suggestions made during the review can be carried into practice.