Select Committee on Home Affairs Second Report

POLICE REFORM BILL

EXPENDITURE

89.  The explanatory notes for the Bill envisage the following additional costs arising from the Bill:

Staffing of Standards Unit	£1.75 million p.a.
Independent Police Complaints Commission	£14-18 million (less £5m for PCA)p.a.
IT system for police complaints	£5 million initially and £150k p.a.
National Crime Squad direct recruitment	£600k p.a. and extra pension costs

POSTSCRIPT

90.  We have referred in paragraph 16 above to the removal from the Bill on 15 April of the proposed power to give directions to chief constables. Further changes were made to the Bill on third reading in the Lords on 25 April. Ministers have said that they will try to restore these provisions during the Bill's passage through the Commons.[102] These changes are:

•   to require chief constables to consult not just the police authority but also the principal local authority in the area before establishing a community safety accreditation scheme in clause 36 (3)—the aim of other amendments debated at the same time but not made to the Bill was to limit accreditation to local authority-led schemes[103]
•   to remove the ability of ministers to amend by statutory instrument the exercise of police powers by civilians such as community support officers and accredited community safety organisations as set out in the original clause (power to amend part 1)[104]
•   to remove the power of community support officers (and staff of accredited community safety organisations) to detain people for up to 30 minutes pending the arrival of a constable.[105]

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102   Lords Hansard, 25 April 2002, col. 418 (Lord Rooker). Back

103   Lords Hansard, 25 April 2002, col. 374 (Lord Dholakia). Back

104   Lords Hansard, 25 April 2002, col. 382 ff. Back

105   Lords Hansard, 25 April 2002, cols. 403 ff and 416 ff. Back

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Prepared 7 May 2002