§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, following representations received, they intend to amend the draft code of practice and guidance notes on tape recording of police interviews which they laid before Parliament on 13th June.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has now considered representations received about the code. We do not intend any change to the code itself but, following representations about one of the guidance notes which, while forming part of the printed document, is not a provision of the code, my right honourable friend has decided to modify Guidance Note 4M further to clarify the procedure to be followed should a tape break during an interview. He intends to add a new sentence after the second sentence in the note as follows
If equipment for copying the unbroken tape is not readily available, both tapes should be sealed in the suspect's presence and the interview begun again".Copies of the revised note have been placed in the Library.We now intend as soon as possible to seek the approval by resolution of both Houses—as required under Section 67 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984—to the order made by statutory instrument which will bring the code into operation and which was laid before Parliament yesterday. The code will not have effect in relation to any area until a further order is made in relation to that area under Section 60(1)(b) of the 1984 Act.