Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made to ensure that the recording of non-crime hate incidents is governed by a Code of Practice that is subject to parliamentary approval.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I fully recognise the concern that surrounds the recording of non-crime hate incidents. Home Office officials are currently working with the College of Policing to ensure that the right to freedom of expression is better protected.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fixed penalty notices have been issued for infringements of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations; what was the (1) total, and (2) average, value of those fines; and what percentage of the fines have been paid.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Data on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under the COVID-19 regulations by police forces in England and Wales is not held centrally by the Home Office. These figures were collected by police forces and published monthly by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC).
The final tranche of figures relating to coronavirus breaches was published on 16 March 2022 and can be found here on the NPCC website at Update on Coronavirus FPNs issued by forces in England and Wales, and the payment of FPNs (npcc.police.uk)
The data includes the number of FPN letters issued by ACRO, FPNs paid, FPNs contested, and those not complied with, broken down by force area.
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to delete records for those accused of non-crime hate incidents.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government recognises the concern surrounding the recording of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs). We also note the Court of Appeal judgment in the Harry Miller v College of Policing case that was handed down on 20 December 2021. The Court found that the recording of NCHIs is lawful provided that there are robust safeguards in place so that the interference with freedom of expression is proportionate.
Accordingly, the Government included provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - which received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022 - to ensure that the recording of NCHIs is governed by a Code of Practice that is subject to Parliamentary approval.
The content of the Code will be drafted in due course, and will make the processes surrounding the recording of NCHI data more transparent and subject to stronger safeguards, including on retention. In the short term, we have no plans to ask police forces to review or delete existing personal NCHI data that they may have on record. To do so would be a disproportionately costly, time consuming and resource-intensive process that is not warranted at this stage.
The College of Policing is also reflecting on the Court of Appeal’s judgment carefully and make any changes that are necessary to its existing guidance which will remain in force in the interim period before the new Code enters into effect.