§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to implement Recommendation 63, regarding stop and search provisions, in the Macpherson report. [97810]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary published his Action Plan in March as the Government's response to the Macpherson Report. On the report's recommendations on stop and search, the Action Plan said that pilot projects would be established to test the practical implications of Recommendation 61 of the report (that all "stops" and "stops and searches" should be recorded and a copy of the record given to the person stopped). The Action Plan said that Recommendation 63 (that Police Authorities be given the duty to undertake publicity campaigns to ensure that the public is aware of "stop and search" provisions) would need to be considered further in the light of the pilot projects.
The Steering Group which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary chairs to oversee and audit the implementation of the Action Plan has approved proposals for the pilots (to be run in Hounslow and Greenwich in the Metropolitan Police Service, and in Leicestershire, West Yorkshire and Suffolk). Piloting will have begun on all sites by later this month and will run until the end of March 2000. Decisions will be taken on any new recording requirements and further consideration given to Recommendation 63 in the light of the evaluation of the pilot projects.