§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing in the Metropolis the system of lay visitors to police stations being developed in Greater Manchester.
§ Mr. WhitelawMy Department followed up my welcome for Lord Scarman's recommendation by consulting the local authority associations and police representative bodies. These consultations revealed broad agreement about both the benefits which lay visiting schemes might confer and the practical basis on which they could operate. The police made it clear that they would be willing to co-operate in arrangements which, while not hampering their work, might help to dispel suspicions about their treatment of suspects held in their custody.
All consulted wished, however, to see arrangements narrower that those proposed by Lord Scarman in one respect. They believed that the presence of lay visitors at interviews of suspects would have drawbacks which would considerably outweigh its advantages.
With this proviso, all those consulted were agreed that lay visiting arrangements should be tested in practice as quickly as possible. As my hon. and learned Friend has already indicated to Standing Committee J, at c. 928, I have concluded that the next step should be for pilot schemes to be set up in a number of areas, with the agreement and co-operation of the police authorities, on the basis of broad guidelines prepared by the Home Office in consultation with those concerned. I intend to establish at least one such scheme within the Metropolitan police district. I have received a helpful proposal from the community police consultative group for Lambeth in this connection and I am giving it careful consideration.
I shall keep the House informed of progress.