Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inquiries into allegations of police misconduct have been conducted in the last 12 months; and how many such investigations are under way now.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Home Office does not currently hold misconduct data concerning the last 12 months, however we are currently developing a new stand-alone publication on police misconduct statistics. An initial statistical publication is due to be published in May 2022 and will include high level analysis of allegations of police misconduct recorded under the reformed disciplinary system and subsequent outcomes in the financial year 2020/21. A further publication containing 2021/2022 data is scheduled for later in the year. Exact publication dates will be preannounced in the Home Office Statistical release calender.
Police Misconduct data from previous years can be found in the Police Workforce Statistics, which are available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 March (HL Deb col 1118), whether there is a time limit on the start of misconduct hearings announced by Police and Crime Commissioners; and if not, what plans they have to introduce one.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Police misconduct hearings are dealt with under The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020
This sets out that the Chair of the hearing must ensure that the hearing commences within 100 working days of the date an officer is served with a notice informing them their case is being referred to disciplinary proceedings
This period can be extended at the discretion of the independent Legally Qualified Chair (LQC), where it decides it is in the interests of justice to do so.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 2 February (HL Deb col 898), what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Independent Office of Police Conduct’s report on the alleged misconduct of Mr Mike Veale.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Following an independent investigation conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the then-Acting Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Cleveland carefully considered their report and determined that former Chief Constable Mike Veale had a case to answer for gross misconduct. This matter has been referred to an independent panel - with a Legally Qualified Chair - to hold a misconduct hearing in which relevant evidence will be considered and findings made as to Mr Veale’s conduct and any appropriate outcome. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further whilst legal proceedings remain ongoing.
A previous IOPC investigation into allegations of misconduct by Mr Veale found that he had a case to answer for alleged misconduct while Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. As Mr Veale was by then serving as Chief Constable of Cleveland, at the conclusion of the investigation, the IOPC report was sent to the then PCC for Cleveland (Barry Coppinger) following which it was agreed that he would be subject to a management action plan put in place by the PCC, including an ongoing programme of professional development.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 2 February (HL Deb col 898), what actions the Independent Office for Police Conduct have taken in response to remarks made by the Home Secretary on 15 June 2021 (HC Deb col 128), where she stated that "profound concerns exist about the handling of the IOPC’s investigation into Operation Midland".
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The IOPC’s Director General set out its own response to criticisms of its handling of the investigation into Operation Midland in his letter to Sir Richard Henriques of 31 March 2021. The letter is available on the gov.uk website. The IOPC publishes further information on its performance and plans on its website. As noted in the debate on 2 February (HL Deb col 898), a review of the IOPC by an independent reviewer (as announced by the Home Secretary on 15 June 2021) is due to start this year. This will consider the organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency, including its decision-making processes.