Independent Police Complaints Commission

Mr. Amess
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the Independent Police Complaints Commission’s (IPCC) target is for conclusion of a complaint against the police from the date of registration of the complaint; what the average time taken per case has been since the IPCC was set up; and if he will make a statement;

(2) how many complaints were referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission in (a) England and (b) Essex since June 2006, broken down by police force; and how many have been upheld in each case;

(3) what complaints to the Independent Police Complaints Commission have been upheld since June 2006; what action was taken by the relevant police force to implement the relevant recommendations; and if he will make a statement;

(4) what recommendations of the Independent Police Complaints Authority have not been implemented in each of the last five years; and what the reason was in each case;

(5) how many serving police officers have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of a criminal offence in each month since June 2006, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age and (iii) police force; and how many were (A) suspended from duty, (B) demoted, (C) dismissed and (D) cautioned.

Mr. McNulty
This is a matter for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) who have oversight of the police complaints system.

Mr. Amess
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) primary and (b) delegated legislation regulates the Independent Police Complaints Commission; what changes have been made to each such instrument since enactment; what further amendments are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McNulty
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was established under the Police Reform Act 2002, with a remit covering complaints and conduct matters involving persons serving with the police service in England and Wales. The IPCC came into operation on 1 April 2004.

The following regulations were made under the Police Reform Act 2002 in bringing the IPCC into operation:

the Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/643), amended by S.I. 2006/1406;

the IPCC (Staff Conduct) Regulations 2004 S.I. 2004/660;

IPCC (Transitional Provisions) Order 2004 S.I. 2004/671;

the IPCC (Forces maintained otherwise than under Police Authorities) Order 2004 S.I. 2004/672 (relating to the MOD police and BTP).

The IPCC (Investigatory Powers) Order 2004 S.I. 2004/815 modifies, in relation to the functions of the IPCC:

Part 3 of the Police Act 1997 (authorisations to interfere with property); and

Parts 2 (intrusive surveillance) and 4(Tribunal) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Schedule 12 to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 amended the Police Reform Act 2002, extending the IPCCs remit to cover death and serious injury matters, and to cover complaints against the Serious and Organised Crime Agency.

The Commissioners of Revenue and Customs Act 2005 and the Revenue and Customs (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3311) as amended by S.I. 2006/1748 made under the 2005 Act extended the IPCC’s remit in relation to the Commissioners and officers of HM Revenue and Customs.

The Police and Justice Act 2006 will extend the IPCC’s jurisdiction to cover specified enforcement functions of immigration officers.

A Statutory Order was laid before Parliament on 5 June 2007 for the purpose of applying the Official Secrets Act to IPCC commissioners and staff.

Further legislation changes affecting the IPCC will be made as part of the introduction of a new simplified and modernised police misconduct system.