Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord for that short response. Nevertheless, I believe that this is an important amendment to which we may return at a later stage. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Harris of Richmond: moved Amendment No. 70: Clause 60, page 32, line 26, leave out subsection (15) and insert-- ("(15) The costs incurred in respect of an inquiry under this section shall be defrayed by the Secretary of State.").
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, when I raised the issue in Committee I was heartened by the Minister's signal that the Government would look carefully at any requests the board made for funds to cover the cost of an inquiry. If the board has met all the other stringent criteria for initiating an inquiry, I am sure that no government would lightly refuse to meet the costs, otherwise the board would be unable to...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Farrington, for her explanation. I am not entirely convinced by it because the Explanatory Notes suggest that the regulations set out only the minimum requirements for the plan. They appear still to give the Secretary of State more control over the police planning process than was envisaged by Patten. I shall read carefully what the noble...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, that would be enormously helpful. I am most grateful to the noble Baroness for giving me that assurance. I look forward to the dialogue we may have on this. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Harris of Richmond: moved Amendment No. 35: Clause 28, page 13, line 20, after ("functions") insert ("and those of the Chief Constable").
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, in moving Amendment No. 35, I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 37 and 38. Amendments No. 35 and 38 stand also in the name of other noble Lords. I very much welcome the Government's recognition of the board's primary responsibility for best value. I can see that the Government have listened and tried to respond to the concerns which I and other noble Lords on all sides of your...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord the Minister for his comments. We have indeed moved a long way. We are all learning about what best value means. I make no criticism whatever in suggesting that any help I might have given has not been understood. We share the same objectives. We may well differ on "act together with" and "have regard to". As the noble and learned Lord...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: moved Amendment No. 33: Clause 25, page 12, line 18, at end insert-- ("( ) The Board shall establish levels of performance (performance targets and indicators) to be aimed at in seeking to achieve-- (a) any objectives established by the Secretary of State under section 24; and (b) the objectives determined by the Board for a financial year under this section.").
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, I rise to move Amendment No. 33 and to speak to Amendment No. 34 in my name and those of other noble Lords. The annual policing plan will, as now, be a key document. It should set out for the community what policing service it can expect. Broadly speaking, it should be a contract between the board and the Chief Constable about the policing service that is to be delivered. Patten...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister's response. I shall indeed read with great care the response that he has given. It goes some way towards making sure that the code will be as robust as the present one--he has reassured me on that point--and that there will be an internal audit role for the policing board. I shall read what the noble and learned Lord said with great care. I thank him...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: moved Amendment No. 12: Leave out Clause 12 and insert the following new clause-- :TITLE3:ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT (" .--(1) The Policing Board shall-- (a) keep proper accounts and proper records in relation to the accounts; and (b) prepare a statement of accounts in respect of each financial year. (2) The Board may delegate to the Chief Constable, or another body approved by the Secretary of...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: My Lords, Amendment No. 12 stands in my name and those of other noble Lords. I raised this issue in Committee, but it is such an important matter that I feel I must bring it to your Lordships' attention again. My concern is to ensure that transparency and accountability exist in relation to police expenditure. The Government said that Patten was critical of the existing financial...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: I support the noble Lord, Lord Laird, and the other noble Lords who have attached their names to this amendment. I agree wholeheartedly with its intention. It was an express recommendation of Patten that a substantial fund should be established to assist injured officers, both retired and serving, as well as their families and their widows. I congratulate the Government on having conducted a...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: had given notice of her intention to move Amendment No. 217: Page 31, line 22, leave out subsection (13) and insert-- ("(13) The costs incurred in respect of an inquiry under this section shall be defrayed by the Secretary of State.").
Baroness Harris of Richmond: I listened very carefully to what the Minister said about this matter. I was fairly disappointed, knowing that there will almost certainly be inquiries that the policing board will need to take into account. Bearing in mind the board's budget, it will be almost impossible for it to do so, and I ask the Minister to consider that point. However, there is a chink of light. I believe that I...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: I rise to support Amendment No. 209 tabled by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Archer of Sandwell, and to which my name among others is added. I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 211 and 217 which stand in my name and in the name of my noble friend Lord Smith of Clifton. The noble and learned Lord, Lord Archer, has eloquently expressed our concerns about the provision in Clause 58(5)(b)...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord for accepting the amendment. Perhaps I may speak to Amendments Nos. 211 and 217. Clause 58(9) suggests that the Government do not trust the board to appoint a suitably credible and independent figure to conduct an inquiry relating to an issue outside the remit of the ombudsman, the Comptroller and Auditor-General or Her Majesty's Inspectorate. That...
Baroness Harris of Richmond: I listened with great interest to the Minister but I still believe that the provision could usefully apply to some areas. I hope to return to the matter at a later stage but in the meantime I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Harris of Richmond: moved Amendment No. 168 as an amendment to Amendment No. 167: Line 3, after ("women") insert ("and members of minority ethnic groups").