§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on his policy in relation to the use of the private security industry for policing functions including police patrol; [93046]
(2) what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with (a) chief police officers and their representatives, (b) Police Federation Representatives and (c) representatives of private security companies, since May 1997 concerning the future of police patrolling; and if he will make a statement; [92887]
(3) which (a) ministerial committees and (b) working groups are assessing policy in relation to the private security industry and policing functions including police patrol; and if he will make a statement. [93047]
§ Mr. BoatengI have no plans for police patrol or any other police functions to be carried out by the private security industry, except that we have proposed that the escorting of certain abnormal loads should, in future, be carried out by the private sector. Representatives of the police and other bodies have raised many matters in discussions, but neither I nor my Ministerial colleagues have proposed any changes to responsibility for police patrolling. No Ministerial committees or Working Groups are currently examining any such proposals.