HC Deb 26 June 1995 vol 262 cc489-90W
Mr. Bernie Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1995,Official Report, column 523, how many staff at the police staff college have received training in race and community relations from the Home Office specialist support unit; when they received this training; and how many were (a) civilians and (b) police officers. [30727]

Mr. Maclean

There are currently two members of staff who have received training in community and race relations from the specialist support unit; one police officer and one civilian. The training was undertaken in 1989 and 1993 respectively.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1995,Official Report, column 524, how many of the 15 directors of studies at CPTU and line managers at central planning and training unit at Bramshill have been deemed capable of delivering and assessing the delivery of race and community relations training by the Home Office specialist support unit. [30730]

Mr. Maclean

Information is not held in this form. For trainers attending courses provided by the specialist support unit, an assessment is made on an individual basis of the student's competencies during the course, and a written assessment is provided to the student and to the organisation which has requested the student's training.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1995,Official Report, column 524, if the figure of Home Office funding of the support unit for race and community relations training for 1993–94 includes the sum of £60,000 for the salaries of police liaison officers. [30728]

Mr. Maclean

Yes.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many West Yorkshire police trainers have undergone training at the Home Office specialist support unit; how many are still delivering race and community relations to front line officers; and what research has been conducted into the effectiveness of such training. [30725]

Mr. Maclean

Eleven officers have undergone training in community and race relations at the specialist support unit. Six of those officers are still delivering training in the West Yorkshire police force, including community and race relations training. No specific evaluation of the effectiveness of training has been carried out, but the force relies on the validation of materials produced by the specialist support unit.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1995,Official Report, columns 523–24, who is the Minister with responsibility for ensuring that the provision of police training in race and community relations is effective; and if he will make a statement. [30731]

Mr. Maclean

I have responsibility for police policy matters. It is for the police service itself to ensure that it delivers effective training programmes.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training in community and race relations is currently received by front-line operational police officers(a) nationally and (b) in West Yorkshire. [30724]

Mr. Maclean

All new recruits to the police service receive community and race relations training at police training centres as part of their probationer course. Management training courses for inspectors and sergeants include material on community and race relations. In addition, various training is provided by individual police forces.

West Yorkshire police provide race awareness training for all officers; staff at chief inspector and superintendent level have received knowledge based training provided by specialist support unit staff, and a programme of knowledge and skill based training for other ranks is being prepared.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1995,Official Report, column 523, which of the recommendations of Lord Scarman he has taken into account in relation to the employment of civilian staff in race and community relations training. [30721]

Mr. Maclean

The Government recognise the need to provide training in community and race relations issues for officers at all levels and the value of using civilian staff and contributors from the ethnic minority communities in such training. It is for police service managers to determine the content and structure of training courses, with assistance where appropriate from the specialist support unit.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations underlie the change in the level of funding for the Home Office specialist support unit for community and race relations training for the police; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of risks of disturbances. [30726]

Mr. Maclean

Considerations include the level of service required by the police service from the unit; the level of training which the police service itself can deliver; and competing demands on expenditure. There continues to be regular contact between the Home Office and the police about the possibility of disturbances.

Mr. Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May 1995,Official Report, column 193, if he will explain the discrepancy between this figure and the figures given in his answer of 14 June 1995, Official Report, column 524; and if he will make a statement. [30729]

Mr. Maclean

The figures given on 14 June are for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95, as requested. The hon. Member's previous question asked about the reduction in budget for 1995–96. The budget for 1995–96 is £504,000—a reduction of £39,000 on 1994–95.