§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they believe the existing police emblem and police service flag deterred recruitment to the police service in Northern Ireland over the years; and whether they will publish the results of any independent studies of the relationship between symbols arid recruitment. [HL1526]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Government accept that the reasons individuals do not join the police are many and complex. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, observed in this House in the debate on 23 October:
"The Patten Report recognised that encouraging Catholic recruits to the RUC was not as simple as changing the name and removing the 'Royal' prefix. Patten said that symbols associated with one side of the constitutional debate inevitably went some way to inhibit the wholehearted participation in policing of the other side. . . . The Government accept that".
The Northern Ireland Statistic and Research Agency's Community Attitudes Survey 2000 shows that 26 per cent of Roman Catholics and 22 per cent 138WA of Protestants believe that the symbols, including the badge, of the police service deter the recruitment of Catholics to the police. A copy is available in the House of Lords Library.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received objections to the abolition of the Royal Ulster Constabulary's symbols from people in Northern Ireland; and what they are doing to take account of their views. [HL1527]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Government launched the statutory consultation process on the draft Police Emblems and Flags Regulations on 19 November. The Government have already received a range of comments. These will be taken into account as part of the consultation process.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether applicants to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary, have been asked by the Consensia Partnership whether they have any relatives serving or who have served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; what is the purpose of the question; whether the answer is used to discriminate against those who answer positively; and what is the legal basis for any discrimination. [HL1528]
§ Lord Williams of MostynIt was the practice prior to the current competition for applicants wishing to serve in the police to be asked whether they had any police relatives. The information has been used for monitoring purposes only and included in monitoring data submitted to the Equality Commission. The rationale for asking the question was to enable the police to demonstrate that having a relative in the police did not affect the impartiality of the recruiting process.
§ Lord Kilclooneyasked Her Majesty's Government: On which dates the draft design for the badges and emblems of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland were first made known to:
the Social and Democratic Labour Party:
the Government of the Republic of Ireland; and
the chairman of the Board of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. [HL1557]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe designs were made available to the SDLP and the Government of the Republic of Ireland on 19 November, the day the consultation on the Police Emblems and Flags Regulations was launched by the Minister of State, Jane Kennedy.
The chairman of the policing board met the Minister on 11 October. At this meeting, while he was no: shown the designs, he was told that work had been undertaken on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office by design consultants.
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§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that the oath taken by members of the police service in the Republic of Ireland to "render good and true service and obedience to the constitution and government of the Republic" is appropriate for recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland which incorporates the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [HL1594]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe declaration made by Garda Síochána officers is set in context by the words "in the office of Garda in the Garda Síochána" contained within that declaration. If a Garda Síochána officer applied to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland and was successful, that person would no longer be serving in the office of Garda in the Garda Síochána and their oath would no longer be binding.
Moreover, anyone attested as a constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland is required to make the declaration set out in Section 38 of the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 2000:
"I hereby do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all individuals and their traditions and beliefs; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof according to law".
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the Belfast Telegraph opinion poll on 22 November on the subject of the Police Service of Northern Ireland badge; whether, following this poll, they intend to continue with the current proposal; and, if not, whether they will give the duty of designing the new badge to the policing board. [HL1663]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Government have noted the results of theBelfast Telegraph poll. As the Minister of State, Jane Kennedy, said in her letter to the statutory consultees:
the Government has employed designers to produce possible designs for the emblem or badge and new badges of rank . . . The designs by no means cover all the possibilities. They are intended to assist the Board in their consideration of this important matter. The Board may well have ideas of their own. We would nevertheless be grateful for any comments on the designs that consultees may have".Section 54(3) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 sets out the statutory consultees for the regulations on the police emblem and flag. The policing board is one of those consultees. The Secretary of State is also required to consult the chief constable, the Police Association and any other person or body appearing to him to have an interest in the matter. As set out in the updated implementation plan published on 17 August, the Secretary of State could not conceive of rejecting the board's proposals if genuine cross-community consensus emerges. Otherwise he would not impose an outcome either on the emblem or the flying of flags which would deter 140WA recruitment or be objectionable to a substantial part of the community.