Clause 2 - Anonymity of defendant in rape etc. cases
Sexual Offences Bill [Lords]
5:30 pm
Ms Beverley Hughes (Minister of State (Citizenship and Immigration), Home Office; Stretford and Urmston, Labour)
Certainly, if there were opportunities to enforce existing legislation more robustly and to good effect, as my hon. Friend suggests, we would look at that. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for
Wythenshawe and Sale, East (Paul Goggins), has been pursuing the potential for informed and strengthened guidance for the police and the media. We believe that that is preferable to any change in legislation.
The police code of conduct provides that information that comes into the possession of the police should be treated as confidential—there are no two ways about that. I am aware of the concerns that often that is not what happens and that information is given out in return for money. Information should not be used for personal benefit, nor should it be divulged to other parties except in the proper course of police duty. The code also demands that police officers have a particular responsibility to act with fairness and impartiality in all their dealings with the public and their colleagues, regardless of whether on or off duty. They should not behave in any way that is likely to discredit the police service. I agree that unauthorised disclosure of information on a suspect by a police officer is a disgrace; it is also likely to be, and should be, considered a breach of the code.