APPENDIX 16
Letter from R J Large
THE POLICE
REFORM BILL
Clause 24(3) of the Bill extends the provisions
for Handling of Complaints against members of the Ministry of
Defence Police (MDP) and the British Transport Police (BTP).
Clause 24 was introduced as an accountability
measure following the extension of their jurisdiction in the Anti-Terrorism
Crime and Security Act 2001. (See reply by the Secretary of State
for the Home Office, Hansard Volume 375, Column 37)
However, the powers and jurisdiction of these
non-Home Department Police Forces extends throughout the United
Kingdom but the provisions in the Bill extend to England and Wales
only.
As the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 and Regulations
made thereby for handling of complaints against members of Scottish
police forces—The Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations
1996—do not apply to either MDP or BTP, there are some 1,000
police officers serving in Scotland for which no measures of accountability
(insofar as they relate to handling of Complaints) are extended.
This applies equally to Northern Ireland and it's respective legislation.
The Secretary of State said, about MDP (at Column
37), "It is right and proper that in the police reform legislation
that we will introduce next year, we ensure that the normal powers
for police complaints will be available; if there is any action
under the measures by people acting in a certain way, there is
no doubt that individuals will have normal protection."
Will the Committee ensure that individuals in
Scotland and Northern Ireland have the protection promised by
the Secretary of State by including appropriate measures in the
Bill?
R J Large
February 2002
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