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Thames Valley Police

I suppose we can conclude that however frustrated the hon. Gentleman is about the process, there was a written response. I shall go on to how he might want to seek redress if he is not satisfied when he reflects upon how the whole process has been handled. Of course, as the chief constable made clear, Mr. Fidler may wish to seek redress on the matter by obtaining legal advice. I understand the limitations that individuals might have in doing that, but nevertheless the option remains available. At the end of the day, this is a contractual matter; it is not a matter that the Home Office can get involved with in the way that the hon. Gentleman seems to be requesting. I want briefly to explain the limited role that the Home Office has in the important business of the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles on police instructions. The removal and recovery of vehicles from roads or any land in the open air by contractors acting for the police is an important day-to-day activity in all forces. The Government and the police value the work of the contracted recovery operators who remove vehicles on police instructions. However, the precise arrangements adopted by police forces for the safe recovery of vehicles, including the engagement of contractors, either directly or through managing agents, to carry out that work are an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. The Home Office has no remit to become involved in such commercial and contractual matters and it certainly cannot comment on the individual circumstances of a particular case. I want to reiterate that if the hon. Gentleman's constituent is seeking redress on the issue of termination of the contract and the circumstances that prevailed, he should pursue a legal route. Ministers cannot become involved in the issue and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment on the way in which particular individual allegations are investigated by the police or on the decisions that followed from those investigations. Those are matters for chief officers. There is a due process. If the hon. Gentleman believes that due process has not been followed and, if having complained to the police—I understand that he has done so and that the investigations have been looked at—he remains unhappy with their response, his constituent may wish to refer the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. I know that the hon. Gentleman will be disappointed.