Clause 29 - Procedural requirements for removal of
Police Reform Bill [Lords]
5:00 pm
Mr John Denham (Minister of State (Police, Courts and Drugs), Home Office; Southampton, Itchen, Labour)
There certainly will be; there is an explicit right to make representation in person, which did not previously exist until addressing the police authority initiated the procedure. My hon. Friend is also right about the procedures striking the right balance. There is a value in having better guidance than is available at present. From my background work as a Minister on one or two cases, it is clear that police authorities that confront the situation often feel that they are starting from scratch in terms of having any idea about how they should proceed.
Amendment No. 92 relates to the procedure in which the Secretary of State initiates action rather than the police authority.