asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they will review the composition of police authorities to reintroduce more democratic control. [HL3976]

The Police Act 1996 sets out the current arrangements for membership of police authorities. These state that councillors from relevant councils in the force area must form 50 per cent plus one of the authority members. Normally, there are 17 members on each police authority, of which nine are locally elected councillors, five are independent members from the community and three are lay justice members.

The Police and Justice Act 2006 allows amendment of this. The Act (Schedule 2) contains regulation-making powers that specify that police authorities should be made up of a majority of councillor members and “other persons” (currently referred to as independent members), including at least one lay justice. The Home Secretary has asked Sir Ronnie Flanagan to include in his review of policing announced on 27 March how local accountability arrangements may be improved and to report by the end of the year. Views should be forwarded to Sir Ronnie Flanagan at policing.review @homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.