§ Mr. McWalterTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she will respond to the Third Report of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of session 1997–98 (HC 337) on the composition, recruitment and training of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and what will be the basis of her response. [58566]
§ Marjorie MowlamI have today sent my response to the Committee and have, by the Committee's leave, placed a copy of my response in the Library.
I have consulted, amongst others, the Chief Constable and the Police Authority who have both given a broad welcome to the Report. The report provides a timely benchmark of opinion for the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland set up following the Good Friday Agreement as it considers the question of policing arrangements which can fairly represent all sections of the community in Northern Ireland and have widespread community support.
The Government have accepted a number of recommendations made by the Committee. These include:
Police officers who already belong to organisations such as the Loyal Orders, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Freemasonry should register their membership of such organisations, initially on a voluntary basis;There should be a more rigorous system of registration in place for new recruits; andRegistration should be on a private basis with RUC management and perhaps other relevant bodies such as the Independent Commission for Police Complaints.A new working group is to be set up to consider how the proposals will be implemented. The working group will meet soon and examine:
- how information relating to the private interests of police officers and others should be gathered and held;
- how, if at all, such information should be available publicly;
- which societies, bodies or interests should be covered;
- which public agencies besides the police should consider schemes for registration; and
- what, if any, further measures might be required to ensure that a system of registration works.
The Government have considered but rejected for now the proposal that membership of organisations mentioned by the Select Committee should in effect prevent someone from becoming a police officer. The question of a police service which can fairly represent all sections of the community in Northern Ireland is one of the main terms of reference of the Independent Commission on Policing and it would be peremptory to go further in advance of the Commission's findings.