§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many actions for damages have been defended at trial in the civil courts by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for the past five years and the present year to date; what were the causes of the actions; how much the Commissioner was required to pay in(a) compensatory damages and (b) exemplary damages; and what disciplinary action was taken against the police officers involved. [33330]
§ Mr. MacleanThe information is as follows:
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 as at 8 May Actions defended at trial N/a N/a N/a 34 50 18 Amounts paid (£000s) 21 203 53 84 267 839 The requested breakdown of actions for damages can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
As regards disciplinary action, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 8 May, Official Report, column 156. I understand that since that information was provided two cases have been recorded in 1996:
Case 1: involving three officers, formal disciplinary proceedings and dismissal of the officers concerned; and
Case 2: involving one officer, who has made subject to formal disciplinary proceedings.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been the subject of an internal investigation on behalf of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis where no formal complaint has been recorded for the past five years and the present year to date; how many such cases arose from actions for damages brought against the Commissioner which(a) resulted in awards being made against the Commissioner at trial and (b) were 533W settled out of court (i) after and (ii) before proceedings were commenced; and what disciplinary action was taken against the police officers involved. [33332]
§ Mr. MacleanThe Commissioner informs me that information on internal investigations prior to 1994 is not readily available. This, and the other information requested, can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The following is the number of internal investigations in 1994 to 31 May 1996:
Year Number of cases 1994 424 1995 424 1996 (to 31 May) 167
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many actions or threatened actions for damages have been settled out of court for more than £10,000 by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for the past five years and the present year to date; what were the causes of the actions; how much the Commissioner paid out; and what disciplinary action was taken against the police officers involved. [33331]
§ Mr. MacleanInformation in the form requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total number of actions and threatened actions for damages over the last five years is as follows:
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 (as at 8 May) Action 74 85 140 174 140 50 Amount (in £000s) 390 468 1,332 1,050 1,051 359 Threatened Action 38 51 74 100 72 21 Amount (in £000s) 60 84 204 209 242 37