§ 48. Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation to date of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe major part of the Act has yet to be brought into force, but we intend that it will be implemented on 1 January 1986.
Part IX, which establishes the Police Complaints Authority and makes other changes to the police complaints and disciplinary system, came into effect on 29 April. It is too early at this stage to comment on how it is working.
Section 106, which provides for arrangements to be made in each police area for consultation between the community and the police came into force on 1 January this year. My right hon. and learned Friend issued guidance on these arrangements on 25 January. Arrangements under this section now exist in most parts of England and Wales.
Sections 66 and 67, which prescribes the mechanism for consulting about the draft codes of practice to be made 213W under the Act, and for bringing them before Parliament, also came into effect on 1 January. Drafts of the codes of practice were published for consultation on 10 January and my right hon. and learned Friend hopes shortly to lay before Parliament an amended draft, revised to take account of the comments received. The codes themselves will not however become effective until the implementation of the provisions of the Act to which they relate.