§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the current Metropolitan police review of its operational requirement for a computerised crime reporting system has considered the matter of private computers being used or replaced; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he proposes to review the use within the force of privately owned computers.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has made of the effect on costs, detection rates and police manpower of the use of computers by police forces; and if he will, in particular, identify the advantages and disadvantages, respectively, in particular categories of work.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe Department has studied various aspects of police computer systems, in collaboraton with the forces concerned. The costs and benefits of such systems vary according to the forces' requirements. The potential advantages include easy access to data; the ability of search databases rapidly; greater ease of transfer of data within a force; a reduction in manual records; automatic production of documents, and improved management information. An analysis of the effects of introducing a computerised criminal information system, including consideration of the effect on the detection rate, may be found in the summary report of the evaluation of the Thames Valley computer system, issued under cover of Home Office circular No. 10/1984, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. the effects on police manpower of introducing a computer are frequently difficult to identify because of accompanying organisational changes, but in principle the use of computers offers the opportunity to deploy manpower more effectively, and to save manpower engaged on the compilation and maintenance of paper records.
These potential benefits have to be set against the considerable costs of computer systems and the Department will shortly be issuing further guidance to chief officers of police and police authorities on the considerations to be taken into account in order to ensure that value for money is obtained.