§ 31. Mr. TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the now-disbanded West Midlands police serious crime squad have now been charged with criminal offences; and in respect of how many former members charges are being considered.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe investigation led by Mr. Donald Shaw into the West Midlands police serious crime squad is still at an early stage. No consideration has yet been given to whether or not to institute criminal proceedings against any officer. In November last year criminal proceedings were instituted against four former members of the serious 871W crime squad, on charges of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice. These proceedings followed a separate inquiry by the police.
It would not be appropriate to give details of cases under consideration by the Crown prosecution service which may or may not result in prosecutions of former members of the serious crime squad.
§ 106. Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the inquiry by West Yorkshire police, under the auspices of the Police Complaints Authority, into the West Midlands police serious crime squad.
§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the progress of the inquiry by West Yorkshire police, under the auspices of the Police Complaints Authority, into the now-disbanded West Midlands police serious crime squad.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI understand that the investigation team, led by Mr. Shaw, assistant chief constable of the West Yorkshire police force, is in the process of examining the files relating to all the arrests made by the squad since 1986, and has begun to investigate individual complaints made against officers of the squad. The report of each investigation will be submitted to the Police Complaints Authority and the chief constable of West Midlands as it is completed, and it will be some time before all cases have been examined.