HC Deb 04 February 1994 vol 236 cc1008-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions govern contracts between policemen or employees of the police and newspapers as respects details of charges or cautions(a) when no money changes hands and (b) when money changes hands; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Any unauthorised disclosure by an officer of any information coming into his possession as a member of the police force is a disciplinary offence, of which the maximum penalty is dismissal. Were money or other consideration to be accepted, the possibility would also arise that the common law offence of bribery had been committed.

Mr. Ashton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to chief constables with regard to the confidentiality of official police cautions and revelations of the details of those cautions to the press.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Responsibility for authorising disclosure of information to the press rests with chief officers. Unauthorised disclosure is a disciplinary offence.

Home Office guidance to chief officers indicates that police records of convictions, cautions and related information should normally be regarded as confidential, but that information may be released to third parties when to do so would be in the interests of national security, the protection of the vulnerable, to ensure probity in the administration of the law; or where it was a requirement of licensing or similar provisions.

Mr. Ashton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is within the jurisdiction of the Police Complaints Authority to investigate complaints from the public regarding details of official cautions which have been revealed to the press and to ascertain if any payment was received for this information.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Such a complaint would fall within the jurisdiction of the Police Complaints Authority.

The responsibility for investigating a complaint rests with the chief officer of the force concerned. The Police Complaints Authority reviews the report of every investigation and has the power to supervise the investigation of serious complaints.