Schedule 3 - Handling of Complaints and - Conduct Matters etc.
Police Reform Bill [Lords]
4:30 pm
Mr Bob Ainsworth (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Coventry North East, Labour)
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and he raised a question that I touched on. The word ''a'' rather than ''all'' is used. We intend—we shall get the wording right in the regulations—that in the overwhelming majority of cases, people who will inquire will be the main relative, who is usually the next of kin. We want to allow for circumstances, such as those due to family situations, in which two main people may inquire. We do not want to impose the burden of a necessity to inform all people down to second cousins or to have a situation such as that about which the hon. Gentleman is rightly worried. It is highly appropriate and desirable to keep families informed through a main person or, if one person is insufficient, a couple of people.