§ The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy)My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton North and Bellshill (Dr Reid), announced on 30 April this year the arrangements for the review promised in the revised implementation plan of August 2001.(Official Report, Volume 384, Column 659 W). This statement sets out the progress to date on the review and advises hon. Members of the next steps that the Government intends to take.
Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, Dan Crompton, has conducted his annual inspection of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the focus of which was the impact of the new arrangements on police effectiveness and was therefore an important part of the Review. His report was published on 6 November, and a copy was placed in the House Libraries.
My hon. Friend the Minister of State has been looking at detailed administrative and legislative issues and has completed a preliminary round of meetings with interested parties. The next step is to share draft clauses with the parties and to hold a further round of meetings. My hon. Friend is today writing to the parties and enclosing examples of how we intend to deal with the various commitments made in the implementation plan 3WS of August 2001 and other issues that have arisen during discussions on her strand of the review. In addition to these, she is enclosing, for consultation, text setting out how the Government might deal with two further issues which, in the implementation plan, we undertook to consider further. Her letter— a copy of which will be will be placed in the Library of the House— explains that the Government consider that the time is not yet right to legislate on these matters.
And finally, the Oversight Commissioner, Tom Constantine, has, under his terms of reference, been reviewing the progress made in implementing Patten on the basis of experience during the first year of the board's operation. I expect his report in early December.
It is my intention to introduce legislation to Parliament before the Christmas Recess.