Schedule 2 - The Independent Police - Complaints Commission
Police Reform Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Mr Bob Ainsworth (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Coventry North East, Labour)
Thank you, Miss Widdecombe, and welcome to the Chair.
When our sitting ended this morning, I was being accused of deviously trying to avoid answering a question. Although that is not true, the compliment is always welcome. I had cross-wired my brain to a debate that we will have under amendment No. 85, which relates to clause 10 and is about the disclosure of reports.
I was wiring myself into that future debate in response to a point made by the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). We were talking about the fact that the power to decline an appointment of the chief executive of the Independent Police Complaints Commission is reserved to the Secretary of State. The provisions in the Bill fully come under the Nolan arrangements and those of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments; I should have thought that that would satisfy hon. Members. The provisions are exactly in line with what applies in other cases, such as that of the security industry authority and the Health and Safety Executive. They will in no way undermine the independence of the IPCC.
The hon. Gentleman asked me whether, if such an appointment were turned down, the reason would be put in the public domain. It probably would not. If such an issue arose, it would be highly likely that the reasons for the refusal had to do with the personal attributes, competence or ability of the candidate, and it would be wholly inappropriate for the Secretary of State to put the issue in the public domain. Of course, such matters will always be subject to parliamentary scrutiny, and if someone were to ask a parliamentary question, the fact that such an appointment had been turned down would have to be acknowledged.
The Bill as written is perfectly justifiable. The provision in no way impairs the independence of the IPCC. I therefore contest that the Bill should stand as drafted.