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Policing and Crime Bill

Amendments 42 and 44 stand in my name and that of my noble friend Lady Miller, although they also stand alongside related proposals on whether Clauses 11 and 12 should stand part. Both amendments are intended to modernise the operation of regulation and order-making powers under Sections 53 and 57 of the Police Act 1996, to bring them into line with more recent legislation exemplified by Section 53A of the same Police Act. These changes would require the Secretary of State to take into account the expertise of HMIC in the fields of police equipment and facilities and services before exercising powers under this section. I believe the Government intend that these provisions in the Bill will enable the Home Secretary to mandate the use of national IT systems. However, the provisions are not limited to this and once again contain wide-ranging order-making powers which could have a much broader application. I accept that it might not be the intention of the current Home Secretary to use the powers more widely, but that does not guarantee that they will not be misused in the future. It therefore seems sensible to include mechanisms that help to ensure that these powers are used wisely and proportionately. The reference to HMIC advice is one way of trying to ensure this. I beg to move.