HC Deb 01 February 1989 vol 146 cc254-5W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define the role and purpose of special branch.

Mr. Hurd

The functions of special branches were set out in the published guidelines issued by the Home Office on 19 December 1984.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards information held by special branch being passed on to (i) commercial firms and (ii) employers' organisations.

Mr. Hurd

The published guidelines on the work of a special branch which were issued on 19 December 1984 make it clear that information held by a special branch should not be passed to commercial firms or to employers' organisations.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of accountability systems operating for special branch.

Mr. Hurd

The published guidelines on the work of a special branch which were issued on 19 December 1984 state that all members of a special branch are responsible, as is any other member of the force, to the chief officer of the force through the head of the branch and any intervening supervisory ranks in the force structure. Like other aspects of the management of police forces, these arrangements are subject to inspection under the inspection arrangements appropriate to the force in question. Any deficiencies are drawn to the attention of the chief officer of the force.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy towards links between special branch, the Economic League and the uniformed police;

(2) what is his policy towards links between special branch and (i) private security firms and (ii) private investigating firms.

Mr. Hurd

Relationships between special branches and outside organisations are governed by the principles set out in the Home Office guidelines issued on 19 December 1984.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much from the total police budget was allocated to special branch for each year from 1979 to current date.

Mr. Hurd

The allocation of resources to special branches is a matter for the chief constable of each force concerned and this information is not held centrally.