House of Commons - Explanatory Note

Criminal Justice And Immigration Bill - continued	House of Commons

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Clause 109: Individual support orders

596. ISOs are civil orders that can be attached to stand-alone ASBOs for 10-17 year olds.

597. ISOs last for up to 6 months and impose positive conditions designed to tackle the underlying causes of a young person's anti-social behaviour. The support will be tailored to the individual's needs and can require a young person to attend up to two sessions a week. For example, the young person may be required to attend an anger management course

598. Subsection (1) inserts new subsections into section 1AA of the 1998 Act, which deals with ISOs. The new subsections will allow ISOs to be made more than once, and to be made subsequent to the making of the original ASBO, provided that the Court is satisfied that the other conditions for doing so have been met: that it is on application from the original applicant agency; that the subject is still under 18; that his ASBO is still in force; and that it will help prevent further anti-social behaviour on his part.

599. Subsection (2) extends the first condition for an ISO so that an order can also be made if it is desirable in the interests of preventing repetition of anti-social behaviour which led to a variation. Subsection (3) makes a corresponding amendment to section 1AA(5) (which sets out the requirements that may be specified in an ISO).

600. Subsection (4) applies the definition of relevant authority in section 1(1A) of the 1998 Act to the ISO provisions in section 1AA.

601. Subsection (5) sets a time limit on any ISO subsequent to the original hearing, so that it cannot be made to last beyond the lifetime of the ASBO.

602. Subsection (6) allows ISOs to be made in the county court, should the ASBO be made as a result of proceedings there, either at the time or subsequently.

603. Subsection (7) allows ISOs to be made for ASBOs obtained on conviction, provided that the other criteria for doing so are met; and also allows whoever is carrying out the annual review to make an ISO application.

604. Paragraph 23 of Schedule 22 to the Bill sets the timing criteria for ISOs, so that they may be applied for only when the ASBO:

is less than nine months old when the provisions come into force;

or has been varied nine months (or less) before the provisions come into force.

Clause 110: Parenting contracts and parenting orders: local authorities

605. Subsection (2) amends the definition of a local authority in section 29(1) of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 so as to include district councils as well as county councils within the list of councils which may enter into a parenting contract or apply for a parenting order. The effect of the current definition is that a district council is not included where there is also a county council (i.e. in a "two tier" area).

606. Subsection (3) inserts a new subsection (8A) into section 26B of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. This specifies that if a child lives in a district council area, within a county council area, both local authorities should be consulted by the registered social landlord before applying for the parenting order.

607. Subsection (4) amends section 27 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 by substituting a new subsection (3A) and inserting a new subsection (3B). The effect of the new subsection (3A) is that breach proceedings have to be brought by the local authority that applied for the order unless either the child or young person, or the person alleged to be in breach of the order (i.e. the parent or guardian), is living in the area of another local authority - in which case proceedings can instead be taken by that authority. The effect of new subsection (3B) is that, where there is both a district council and a county council (i.e. in a "two tier" area), either council can take breach proceedings.

Part 10: Policing

Clause 111 and Schedule 19: Police misconduct and performance procedures

608. This clause gives effect to Schedule 19, Part 1 of which amends the Police Act 1996 to make changes in relation to the procedures for dealing with police conduct, efficiency and effectiveness. Part 2 of Schedule 19 makes equivalent changes to the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987 for the purposes of the Ministry of Defence Police, and Part 3 makes equivalent changes to the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 for the purposes of the British Transport Police.

609. Paragraph 2 of Schedule 19 amends section 36 of the 1996 Act. That section places a duty on the Secretary of State to exercise his or her powers under specified provisions of the 1996 Act in such a manner as to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the police. The amendment adds a reference to section 84 (as substituted by paragraph 7 of Schedule 19) to the list of specified provisions: that section makes provision for the representation of police officers at disciplinary and other hearings.

610. Paragraph 3 of Schedule 19 amends section 50 of the 1996 Act. That section confers a power on the Secretary of State to make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of police forces. Section 50(3) requires that such regulations must make provision for taking disciplinary proceedings against police officers and specifies the possible sanctions. Paragraph 3(2) substitutes a new section 50(3) which again requires regulations to be made setting out the procedures for the taking of disciplinary proceedings in respect of the conduct, efficiency and effectiveness of members of police forces, but does not mandate the possible sanctions, other than that of dismissal.

611. Paragraph 4(2) amends section 51(2)(ba) of the 1996 Act to allow the Secretary of State to make regulations relating to the efficiency and effectiveness of special constables. This mirrors the existing power, in section 50(2)(e) of the 1996 Act, to make regulations as to the efficiency and effectiveness of police officers.

612. Paragraph 4(3) inserts a new subsection (2A) in section 51 of the 1996 Act to provide that regulations must be made setting out the procedures for the taking of disciplinary proceedings in respect of the conduct, efficiency and effectiveness of special constables, including procedures for dismissal. The intention is to mirror for special constables the arrangements to be put in place for regular police officers.

613. Paragraph 5 makes an amendment to section 59(3) of the 1996 Act (which provides, subject to exceptions, that a police officer may only be represented by another officer at any misconduct or performance proceedings) consequential to the amendment to section 84 which provides a regulation-making power.

614. Paragraph 6 amends section 63(3) of the 1996 Act to extend the regulations that the Police Advisory Board of England and Wales are to be consulted on to include the regulations that deal with the representation of members of a police force (ie regular police officers) and special constables at disciplinary and other proceedings, regulations dealing with appeals against the findings and outcomes of misconduct and performance proceedings, and rules as to the procedure on appeals to the Police Appeals Tribunal.

615. Paragraph 7 substitutes a new section 84 in the 1996 Act which provides that the Secretary of State is to make regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure) in connection with the representation of police officers and the relevant authority (including the Independent Police Complaints Commission) in misconduct and performance proceedings and enabling panels hearing such proceedings to receive advice.

616. The regulations are to specify when a police officer has a right to legal or other representation, and when he or she is to be notified of that right. The regulations must also provide that proceedings at which the officer can be dismissed cannot take place unless he has been notified of his or her right to such representation.

617. Paragraph 8(2) substitutes new section 85(1) and (2) of the 1996 Act, making provision that the Secretary of State is to make regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure) setting out the circumstances when a police officer may appeal to a police appeals tribunal and allowing the police appeals tribunal to deal with the appellant in any way in which the original misconduct or performance proceedings could have dealt with the officer concerned.

618. Paragraph 8(3) substitutes a new section 85(4) which provides that the police appeals tribunal rules that are made under section 85(3) may make provision specifying the circumstances in which a case may be determined without a hearing, the entitlement of the appellant or respondent to be represented at a hearing by a legal representative or other persons, and for the tribunal to be able to require a person to attend a hearing and give evidence or produce documents.

619. New section 85(4A) and (5A) allow the regulations or rules to make different provision for different cases and specify that the regulations are subject to the negative resolution procedure.

620. Paragraph 9 amends section 87 of the 1996 Act to extend the power of the Secretary of State to issue guidance concerning the efficiency and effectiveness and the maintenance of discipline of special constables as the new performance regulations will include special constables for the first time.

621. Paragraph 10 amends section 97 to remove references to a disciplinary sanction of 'requirement to resign' as this disciplinary outcome will not be available in the new police officer misconduct or performance proceedings.

622. Paragraph 11(1), (2), and (3) amend Schedule 6, changing the persons who will sit on a police appeals tribunal for senior and non-senior police officers (including special constables). Paragraph 11(6) provides definitions for this purpose. Paragraph 11(4) and (5) make amendments consequential on the amendments to section 85.

623. Paragraphs 12 to 16 make amendments to the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987 in relation to the Ministry of Defence Police and paragraphs 17 to 21 relating the to Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 in relation to the British Transport Police.

Clause 112 and Schedule 20: Investigation of complaints of police misconduct etc.

624. This clause gives effect to Schedule 20 which amends Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002. Schedule 3 makes provision about the handling and investigation of: (a) complaints about the conduct of a person serving with the police ("a complaint"), (b) matters which are not the subject of a complaint but where there is an indication that a person serving with the police may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner which would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings ("a conduct matter"), and (c) cases which are not the subject of a complaint and which are not a conduct matter but where a person who was, broadly, in the care of the police has died or sustained a serious injury ("a DSI matter"). The full definitions of these terms appear in section 12 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

625. Paragraph 2 of Schedule 20 amends paragraph 6(4) of Schedule 3 to remove references to 'requirement to resign or retire', 'reduction in rank or other demotion' or 'the imposition of a fine' as these disciplinary sanctions will no longer exist in the new disciplinary arrangements for members of a police force and special constables ("police officers").

626. Paragraph 3 inserts new paragraphs 19A to 19D into Schedule 3. The new paragraph 19A places a duty on the person investigating a complaint, where there is an indication that a person serving with the police may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner justifying the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or a recordable conduct matter, to assess whether the conduct concerned if proved would amount to misconduct or gross misconduct and what form any likely disciplinary proceedings in respect of the conduct could be expected to take.

627. The assessment must be made after consultation with the appropriate authority. The appropriate authority is, in the case of a senior officer, the police authority for the area of the police force of which he is a member and, in the case of a person who is not a senior officer, the chief officer under whose direction or control the person is (see section 29 of the Police Reform Act 2002). On completing the assessment, the person investigating must notify the person whose conduct is the subject of the investigation, giving the information required by new paragraph 19A(7) and such other information to be prescribed in regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure). The notification is not to be given if it might prejudice the investigation in question or any other investigation (including a criminal one). New paragraph 19A also provides for revised assessments to be made when the investigator considers it appropriate due to, for example, fresh evidence being available.

628. New paragraph 19B provides that in the same cases to which the obligation to carry out an assessment under paragraph 19A applies, if the person subject to the investigation provides the investigator with a statement or document relating to the complaint or matter under investigation (including one suggesting new lines of enquiry or witnesses), then the investigator will be under a duty to consider it. The time limits for providing documents and statements are to be prescribed and notified to the person concerned in the notice given under new paragraph 19A. There is also a duty for the investigator to consider relevant documents provided by other persons (in addition to the person subject to the investigation) who are to be prescribed (subject to the negative resolution procedure).

629. New paragraph 19C provides for the Secretary of State by regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure) to set out the procedure to be followed in connection with any interview of a person who is subject to an investigation in a case to which the obligation to carry out an assessment under new paragraph 19A applies.

630. New paragraph 19D provides that the person investigating such a case must supply the appropriate authority with such information as the authority requests in order that the appropriate authority can discharge its duty to consider whether it is appropriate for a police officer to be suspended from his office as constable and (in relation to a member of a police force) membership of that force.

631. Paragraph 4 of Schedule 20 amends paragraph 20A(7) of Schedule 3 which sets out the special conditions that must be satisfied before a police officer disciplinary matter can be dealt with using the accelerated disciplinary procedure. These amendments remove the requirement that there may have been an imprisonable offence but require that there is sufficient evidence to establish gross misconduct.

632. Paragraphs 5 and 7 omit paragraphs 20B(5) and 20E(5) of Schedule 3 so that where the appropriate authority certifies a case as one where the special conditions are satisfied and therefore the accelerated disciplinary procedures apply, there will no longer be an automatic requirement to send a copy of the file to the DPP. Paragraph 8 omits paragraph 20G as a consequential amendment.

633. Paragraph 9 amends paragraph 21A of Schedule 3 to provide that where an investigation into a DSI matter identifies that a person serving with the police may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, and the investigation is therefore reclassified as a conduct matter, then the original investigator for the DSI matter can continue as the investigator of the conduct matter (subject to the IPCC determining under paragraph 15(5) of Schedule 3 that the investigation should take a different form).

634. Paragraph 10(4) inserts new sub-paragraphs (7) to (10) in paragraph 22 of Schedule 3. The new sub-paragraph (7) provides that the Secretary of State may by regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure) make provision to require the report on an investigation within paragraph 19B(1)(a) or (b) (where conduct has been identified that may lead to disciplinary proceedings) to include such matters as required by the regulations and for the investigation report to be accompanied by such documents or other items as may be specified.

635. The new sub-paragraph (8) places a duty on the person who submits the investigation report to supply the appropriate authority with copies of such other documents or items to enable that authority to comply with his or its obligations under the misconduct procedures in regulations or to ensure that a police officer receives a fair hearing. This provision is to be used in the event that an investigation report does not attach documents the appropriate authority consider sufficient for him or it for these purposes.

636. Paragraph 11(2) and (3) amends paragraph 23 of Schedule 3 so that the IPCC must refer to the DPP a report on an investigation submitted to it following a investigation conducted under paragraph 18 (investigations managed by the IPCC) or 19 (investigations by the IPCC itself) of Schedule 3, if the report indicates to the IPCC that a criminal offence may have been committed and either (a) the IPCC considers the case should be so referred or (b) matters in the report fall within a prescribed category. The regulations setting out categories of cases which must be referred are subject to the negative resolution procedure.

637. Paragraph 11(5) substitutes new sub-paragraphs (6) and (7) into paragraph 23 of Schedule 3, which provide that the IPCC must, on receipt of an investigator's report, require the appropriate authority to determine whether any person to whose conduct the investigation related has a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct or neither and what action it must or will take (both disciplinary action and other action). The appropriate authority must then submit a memorandum to the IPCC setting out its determinations. These amendments take account of the fact that the proposed new Police (Conduct) Regulations will set out the disciplinary action the appropriate authority must or may take as a result of its determination on whether there is a case to answer.

638. Paragraph 12 amends paragraph 24 of Schedule 3 so that the appropriate authority must refer to the DPP a report on an investigation submitted to it following an investigation conducted under paragraph 16 (investigations conducted by appropriate authority on its own behalf) or 17 (investigations conducted by appropriate authority but supervised by the IPCC) of Schedule 3, if the report indicates to the authority that a criminal offence may have been committed and either (a) the appropriate authority considers the case should be so referred or (b) matters in the report fall within a prescribed category.

639. By virtue of the new subsections (5A) and (5B) inserted into paragraph 24, in cases where the IPCC has supervised an investigation into a recordable conduct matter, the appropriate authority will be required to inform the IPCC of its determination as to whether the conditions for referring the case to the DPP are satisfied. Where the appropriate authority informs the IPCC that it has determined that the conditions for referral are not satisfied, then the IPCC will make its own determination and may direct that the appropriate authority refer the case to the DPP.

640. The new sub-paragraph (6) substituted into paragraph 24 also requires the appropriate authority, on receipt of an investigator's report (on a case investigated under paragraph 16 or 17 of Schedule 3), to determine whether any person to whose conduct the investigation related has a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct or neither and what action it must or will take (both disciplinary action and other action). These amendments take account of the fact that the proposed new Police (Conduct) Regulations will set out the action the appropriate authority must or may take as a result of its determination on whether there is a case to answer.

641. Paragraph 14 amends paragraph 24B of Schedule 3 to clarify that where, following completion of an investigation into a DSI matter, that matter is recorded as a conduct matter, the person who investigated the DSI matter may continue as the investigator of the conduct matter (subject to the IPCC determining under paragraph 15(5) that the investigation should take a different form under paragraph).

642. Paragraph 15(2) amends paragraph 25 of Schedule 3 to give complainants additional rights of appeal following an investigation by the appropriate authority (either on its own behalf or under supervision by the IPCC). The new provisions will allow complainants to appeal to the IPCC against the determination of the appropriate authority as to whether a person who was the subject of the investigation has a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct or neither (and in relation to being given inadequate information about this determination); and also against a decision of an appropriate authority not to send the investigation report to the DPP.

643. Paragraph 15(3) amends paragraph 25(3) to extend the matters the IPCC can require the appropriate authority to cover in its memorandum to the IPCC following an appeal. The memorandum can now include the appropriate authority's determination on case to answer, the action it must or has decided to take (whether under the Police (Conduct) Regulations or otherwise), and where the appropriate authority has determined that the report of the investigation should not be sent to the DPP, the reasons for that determination.

644. The amendment made by paragraph 15(4)(a) to paragraph 25(5) of Schedule 3 clarifies the operation of that sub-paragraph, which caters for both cases where it is clear from the appeal what ground of appeal is being pursued and where the ground of appeal is not clear. The amendment at paragraph 15(4)(b) extends the list of matters that the IPCC is required to determine (if appropriate) on an appeal, to reflect the new grounds of appeal.

645. Paragraph 15(6) inserts a new sub-paragraph (9A) into paragraph 25 which provides that where the appropriate authority has determined that the conditions for referring a case to the DPP are not met and the complainant has appealed against this determination, the IPCC will be required to determine whether it considers the conditions are satisfied. Where the IPCC determines that the conditions are satisfied it shall direct the appropriate authority to refer the case to the DPP.

646. Paragraph 16 amends paragraph 27 of Schedule 3 to allow the IPCC to make a recommendation to the appropriate authority in respect of whether a person has a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct or has no case to answer; and to provide that where a recommendation is made by the IPCC that disciplinary proceedings are brought, the form of those proceedings must be specified.

Clause 113: Financial Assistance under section 57 of the Police Act 1996.

647. Section 57(1) of the Police Act 1996 gives the Secretary of State power to maintain or contribute to organisations, services and facilities that promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the police. Subsection (1) inserts new subsections (1A) to (1D) into section 57.

648. The new subsection (1A) makes it clear that the Secretary of State can provide financial assistance in exercising his power under section 57(1). The new subsection (1B) provides that financial assistance may in particular be given by way of grant, investment in a body corporate, loan or guarantee and that the Secretary of State can set the terms and conditions on which the assistance is given. These new subsections clarify but do not extend the Secretary of State's existing powers under section 57(1).

649. New subsection (1B) also requires the consent of the Treasury to financial assistance (except for grants) made under the section 57(1) power. This is to ensure that the terms and conditions attached to any loans, investment or guarantees are in line with Government Accounting Rules and follow best practice.

650. New subsection (1C) states that the terms and conditions the Secretary of State can impose for the giving of financial assistance include those relating to repayment with or without interest.

651. New subsection (1D) requires that where financial assistance under section 57 is given on terms and conditions requiring that the body make payments to the Secretary of State (e.g. repayments of capital or interest relating to a loan), those payments will be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

652. Subsection (2) provides that any outstanding loan already made by the Secretary of State to a body under section 57(1) for the purposes of promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of the police (such as a loan to the Forensic Science Service) will, from the date of Royal Assent, be treated as a loan made in accordance with section 57 of the 1996 Act as amended by clause 113. In practice, this will mean that Treasury will be treated as having given its consent to existing loans and the loans will be treated as being in compliance with Government Accounting Rules.

Prepared: 8 November 2007