There has been an increase in investigations into prison staff corruption, including for smuggling contraband and having inappropriate relationships with prisoners.

There has been an increase in investigations into prison staff corruption, including for smuggling contraband and having inappropriate relationships with prisoners.

Lords report stage fifth day. Amendment 394 disagreed to on division (44 to 153). Amendments 395 to 397 agreed to. (Part 2 of 2).

Lords report stage fifth day. Amendment 394 disagreed to on division (44 to 153). Amendments 395 to 397 agreed to. (Part 2 of 2).

Moved by

Baroness Doocey

393: After Clause 167, insert the following new Clause—

“Suspension of chief constables

(1) The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 38 (appointment, suspension and removal of chief constables), after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) Before suspending a chief constable under this section, the police...

Moved by

Baroness Doocey

393: After Clause 167, insert the following new Clause—

“Suspension of chief constables

(1) The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 38 (appointment, suspension and removal of chief constables), after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) Before suspending a chief constable under this section, the police...

My Lords, Amendment 393 seeks to protect the operational independence of chief constables by introducing vital safeguards at the point of suspension—the moment when they are most vulnerable to political pressure in practice.

In Committee, I tabled an amendment addressing a later stage of the formal dismissal process. However, after listening...

My Lords, Amendment 393 seeks to protect the operational independence of chief constables by introducing vital safeguards at the point of suspension—the moment when they are most vulnerable to political pressure in practice.

In Committee, I tabled an amendment addressing a later stage of the formal dismissal process. However, after listening...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey, for her amendment. It is a measured proposal that would simply require a police and crime commissioner, before suspending a chief constable, to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for doing so and to consult His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey, for her amendment. It is a measured proposal that would simply require a police and crime commissioner, before suspending a chief constable, to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for doing so and to consult His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary...

I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey, for her amendment. I say at the outset that she has a point: the process by which police and crime commissioners may suspend a chief constable should be looked at.

The noble Baroness has suggested that His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and...

I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey, for her amendment. I say at the outset that she has a point: the process by which police and crime commissioners may suspend a chief constable should be looked at.

The noble Baroness has suggested that His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and...

Amazed is the word.

Amazed is the word.

I hope she can recover from that shock. I ask her to look at paragraph 134 of the White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, which we published on 26 January. It says:

“We will reform the process for the appointment, suspension and dismissal of Chief Constables...

I hope she can recover from that shock. I ask her to look at paragraph 134 of the White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, which we published on 26 January. It says:

“We will reform the process for the appointment, suspension and dismissal of Chief Constables...

The noble Lord, Lord Pannick, tells me that it is a victory. I thank the Minister for that confirmation, and I am very pleased that it is not just when some chief constables are going to be sacked; it is actually at the stage I asked for in my speech....

The noble Lord, Lord Pannick, tells me that it is a victory. I thank the Minister for that confirmation, and I am very pleased that it is not just when some chief constables are going to be sacked; it is actually at the stage I asked for in my speech....

Moved by

Lord Pannick

393B: Clause 168, page 219, line 13, leave out subsections (3) and (4) and insert—

“(3) The court may, on application by or on behalf of D and on notice to the media, make an order—

(a) withholding from the public in proceedings before the court—

(i) D’s name,

(ii) D’s address,

(iii)...

Moved by

Lord Pannick

393B: Clause 168, page 219, line 13, leave out subsections (3) and (4) and insert—

“(3) The court may, on application by or on behalf of D and on notice to the media, make an order—

(a) withholding from the public in proceedings before the court—

(i) D’s name,

(ii) D’s address,

(iii)...

My Lords, I hope the Minister will give me as satisfactory a response in relation to this group as the other Minister just gave to the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey.

Amendments 393B to 393F in this group are in my name. They address Clauses 168 to 171, which will create a...

My Lords, I hope the Minister will give me as satisfactory a response in relation to this group as the other Minister just gave to the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey.

Amendments 393B to 393F in this group are in my name. They address Clauses 168 to 171, which will create a...

My Lords, I shall speak to just two amendments, Amendments 393B and 394. Amendment 393B is the amendment that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has introduced about anonymity. Noble Lords will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with him. However, I shared with him a few...

My Lords, I shall speak to just two amendments, Amendments 393B and 394. Amendment 393B is the amendment that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has introduced about anonymity. Noble Lords will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with him. However, I shared with him a few...

My Lords, Amendment 403 in this group is in my name.

The group that we are talking about raises the issue whether authorised firearms officers deserve any special protection if they are, or may be, prosecuted for their conduct or if they are convicted. Some would say that they are not...

My Lords, Amendment 403 in this group is in my name.

The group that we are talking about raises the issue whether authorised firearms officers deserve any special protection if they are, or may be, prosecuted for their conduct or if they are convicted. Some would say that they are not...

My Lords, I thoroughly welcome these sensible and proportionate amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, which he more than ably explained. I was prompted to speak on Amendment 393B having just read the Government’s Protecting What Matters action plan. I have plenty to say on that,...

My Lords, I thoroughly welcome these sensible and proportionate amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, which he more than ably explained. I was prompted to speak on Amendment 393B having just read the Government’s Protecting What Matters action plan. I have plenty to say on that,...

My Lords, my name is on the series of amendments that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has spoken to, and I will make a few brief comments in support of them. Before I do, I shall make a few observations about Amendment 394. The noble Lord, Lord Davies, has not...

My Lords, my name is on the series of amendments that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has spoken to, and I will make a few brief comments in support of them. Before I do, I shall make a few observations about Amendment 394. The noble Lord, Lord Davies, has not...

Before the noble Lord sits down, could he just consider one thing? He made some very strong points. One thing that concerns the officers—although the noble Lord is quite right to identify that there have been relatively few criminal charges over the period—and the reason they are not persuaded by...

Before the noble Lord sits down, could he just consider one thing? He made some very strong points. One thing that concerns the officers—although the noble Lord is quite right to identify that there have been relatively few criminal charges over the period—and the reason they are not persuaded by...

The prosecuting authorities have decided in these cases, for whatever reason, that they think it appropriate to bring a prosecution, to bring the matter before a court where a jury determines what is right. We trust juries—I know that it is a contentious issue at the moment as to what...

The prosecuting authorities have decided in these cases, for whatever reason, that they think it appropriate to bring a prosecution, to bring the matter before a court where a jury determines what is right. We trust juries—I know that it is a contentious issue at the moment as to what...

My Lords, I should declare an interest as a paid adviser to the Metropolitan Police, although I have not discussed this issue with the police.

I came this evening looking to support the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, but a couple of things that he said have caused me...

My Lords, I should declare an interest as a paid adviser to the Metropolitan Police, although I have not discussed this issue with the police.

I came this evening looking to support the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, but a couple of things that he said have caused me...

My Lords, I spoke on this subject in Committee; I did so with considerable wariness given the strength and distinguished nature of the lawyers who were stressing the importance of open

justice. I listened to their speeches incredibly carefully and the House owes them a great deal for coming forward...

My Lords, I spoke on this subject in Committee; I did so with considerable wariness given the strength and distinguished nature of the lawyers who were stressing the importance of open

justice. I listened to their speeches incredibly carefully and the House owes them a great deal for coming forward...

My Lords, I will speak to my Amendment 394 and to the other amendments in this group. Britain has a very proud and distinctive model of policing by consent. The defining feature of that model is that the overwhelming majority of our police officers do not routinely carry firearms and...

My Lords, I will speak to my Amendment 394 and to the other amendments in this group. Britain has a very proud and distinctive model of policing by consent. The defining feature of that model is that the overwhelming majority of our police officers do not routinely carry firearms and...