Clause 28 - Resignation in the interests of efficiency and effectiveness
Police Reform Bill [Lords]
4:30 pm
Mr Norman Baker (Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
That is a confident start to this afternoon's proceedings. Without apportioning blame, hon. Members behind me assured me that your name was Mr. Davies. However, I knew that you were not Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Griffiths, and I certainly knew that you were not Miss Widdecombe, so I was struggling. My apologies.
I want to explore one or two issues with the Minister, especially the phrase ''or to resign'', which is a significant difference between the Bill and the Police Act 1996. What is the meaning behind the phrase, both in its powers and its implications for officers who may be subject to the provision? I stand to be corrected, but there may be a distinction without a difference. For example, if an officer is required to leave the force, he is required to leave the force. Whether such action is called resignation or retirement seems of little consequence, unless the pension arrangements are altered for the officer. I know that the Government are keen to ensure that police officers do not leave the force for suspicious reasons, in that they leave the force before they are subject to proceedings, but benefit from the pension arrangements. Is that the reason behind the words ''or to resign''? If so, will pension arrangements be altered accordingly?
There is a curious use of language in the words ''to resign''. I do not know whether it is an active or a passive verb, as in the case of the former Transport Secretary who recently departed from his post. Is ''I am resigned'' correct English or should it be that he was resigned by the Prime Minister? Is it a gentle way in which to say that someone had been sacked? If an officer were not behaving appropriately or in accordance with his duty, it is more honest to say that he was dismissed, not asked ''to resign''. If police officers want to resign, it should be something that they can do of their own volition, without interference from the police authority or the Home Secretary. I seek clarification of whether there is a distinction between retire and resign. Where does that leave dismissal?