§ Mr. Corbynasked the the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the fifth edition of the Association of Chief Police Officers publication "Police Use of Computers" in the Library, together with a copy of the codes of practice for use of information on the police national computer which has been produced by his Department in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers.
§ Mr. HurdThe fifth edition of "Police Use of Computers" was placed in the Library in September. A copy of the "Code of Practice for the Protection of Personal Data Held on the Police National Computer" has been placed in the Library today.
§ Mr. Corbynasked the the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans exist for the standardisation of software, hardware, communications equipment or data between police force criminal information computer systems; and whether these plans provide for a common use of communications equipment and standards between neighbouring police forces or the provision of terminal connections to neighbouring police forces.
§ Mr. HurdSome data standards have been issued, and work on this is continuing. The Department is also working on a model operational requirement for criminal information systems which it hopes to commend to police forces in due course, following consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers.
In addition, we have issued guidance to police forces on the use of computers in major criminal investigations, which commends the use of a particular software package, and stresses the need for compatibility in case the databases of linked enquiries need to be merged.
No other national plans have been made for the standardisation of force criminal information systems, nor have any such plans been made for the common use of communications equipment or the provision of terminal connections to neighbouring forces.
§ Mr. Corbynasked the the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the status of the proposed criminal information system for New Scotland Yard; if he will place a copy of the detailed operational requirement or specification of the system in the Library; what facilities this system will have, not currently provided by the Metropolitan C department computer; and whether the C department computer will be linked to the proposed system.
§ Mr. HurdMy right hon. and learned Friend is considering, with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, whether to proceed to detailed design work on a computerised crime report information system.
If implemented, the system would replace crime books, some associated indices and the present crime statistics computer. There would be no overlap with the computer facilities dedicated to C department and there are no plans for any link with these facilities.
The commissioner informs me that, primarily for reasons of security, he does not intend to make the operational requirement or specification widely available. We do not consider therefore that it would be right to place these documents, when available, in the Library.