Police: Racism
House of Lords

Lord Ouseley (Crossbench)

To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirements will be imposed on police and crime commissioners to eradicate racism from all aspects of the services for which they are responsible, and how they will be accountable for this.

Lord Henley (Conservative)

Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be subject to the public sector equality duty under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, which will require them to have due regard, in exercising their functions, to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between races. PCCs will also be required, under Section 1(8)(g) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, to hold the chief constable to account, in particular, for the exercise of the chief constable's duties relating to equality and diversity. This will include the public sector equality duty mentioned above, which applies to chief constables as well as to PCCs. PCCs will be directly accountable to their electorate for the decisions they take. Their compliance with these equalities obligations will also be scrutinised by a police and crime panel containing members of the local authorities in the police area and co-opted independent members.