HC Deb 03 December 1996 vol 286 cc597-8W
Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he received in advance of the publication of the Bradford commission report on 20 November of the claim made at paragraph 4.5.2 in respect of the view expressed by the then parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the House on 21 June 1995 about the scope of the Police Complaints Authority inquiry; what response he made; what response he has made since the publication of the Bradford commission report; and if he will make a statement. [6715]

Mr. Maclean

[holding answer 2 December 1996]My right hon. and learned Friend was not aware of the contents of the Bradford commission report before it was published. The report suggested that the statement made by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the

Table 1: Metropolitan police officers currently suspended as of 27 November 1996
Length of current suspension Number of Metropolitan police officers Number of south-east regional crime squad
Less than a month 4 0
1 to 3 months 16 1
3 to 6 months 11 1
6 to 9 months 3 0
9 to 12 months 4 0
1 to 2 years 12 0
2 or more years 2 0
Total 52 2

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers with(a) the Metropolitan police, (b) the National Criminal Intelligence Service and (c) the south-east regional crime squad have been suspended from duty in each of the past 10 years and in the current year, broken down by rank in each case. [6692]

Mr. Maclean

[holding answer 2 December 1996]This information is available only from 1990 onwards. Table 1 gives details for the Metropolitan police service and for the south-east regional crime squad. One Metropolitan police officer, who was attached to the National Criminal Intelligence Service at the relevant time, is included within the Metropolitan police service figures.

Home Office was wrong and misleading in suggesting that the inquiry by the Police Complaints Authority would investigate all the circumstances surrounding the complaints against the police. This claim is unfounded; the West Yorkshire force referred the complaints which had been received and the circumstances surrounding them to the PCA for supervision of the investigation.