§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action is taken against a Metropolitan police officer who accesses the police national computer but fails to record the fact that he has done so.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI am advised by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the action taken would478W depend on the circumstances of the case. It could range from a warning about future conduct to criminal proceedings.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of police national computer terminals that his answer of 18 November, Official Report, column 90, relates to; whether the policy and checking procedure announced in that answer applies to all computer terminals in the Metropolitan police force area that can obtain information from the police national computer; and if he will break down the figure given in his answer of 2 December, Official Report, column 572, by division and administrative units.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the policy and procedures set out in my answer of 18 November at column90 relates to all accesses from the 68 dedicated police national computer terminals in his force and from the 157 terminals in his force which are connected by a standard link to the PNC.
I regret that the figure for the number of accesses in August 1986 which was given in my answer to the hon. Member of 2 December at column 572 was incorrect. The total number of accesses (inquiries plus update transactions) to the police national computer by the Metropolitan police during August 1986 was 398,552. It is not possible to break down this figure by division and administrative units as statistical records are not kept in this form.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables to establish the practice of police forces other than the Metropolitan police in requiring records to be kept of requests for access to the police national computer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggA system of automatic logging of accesses to the police national computer is used by 20 forces; other forces keep manual records. The police national computer board is considering whether the system of automatic logging should be mandatory for all forces.
Chief officers were advised to re-examine their procedures for logging accesses to the police national computer in Home Office circular 47/1986, a copy of which is in the Library, and the matter is also being considered by the working party which is producing a code of practice for police computer systems under section 36(4) of the Data Protection Act 1984. In these circumstances, we see no need to call for reports from chief constables.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 19 November, Official Report, column 201, about the replacement strategy for the police national computer, if he will explain how the operational requirements are going to be communicated to possible suppliers; when this is likely to take place; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggA distinction must be drawn between the operational specification referred to in my answer of 19 November, at column201 and an operational requirement, which is much less detailed.
The operational requirement resulting from the replacement strategy for the police national computer will be made available to all potential suppliers through the usual government procurement procedures and in 479W accordance with the appropriate EEC/GATT regulations which include the placing of an advertisement in the EEC Journal. This will take place once the replacement strategy has been determined.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes to make to ensure that the operational requirements for the replacement police national computer (a) meet police needs, (b) represent the best value for money and (c) do not breach data protection requirements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe operational requirement for the replacement police national computer will be agreed by the police national computer board, which includes representatives of the Home Office, the police service, police authorities and independent advisers from the private sector. The equipment will be procured by open competition and we are satisfied that these arrangements will ensure that it both meets police needs and represents best value for money.
The police service is preparing a code of practice for police computer systems, in consulation with the Data Protection Registrar, under the provisions of section 36(4) of the Data Protection Act 1984. Both the existing and the replacement police national computer will be subject to the provisions of this code of practice.