Police: Protest Groups

Debate between Baroness Neville-Jones and Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

Wednesday 12th January 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the police about the use of undercover operations in relation to environmental protest groups.

[The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Neville-Jones)]

My Lords, decisions on intelligence gathering are operational matters for chief officers working within the relevant legal framework. The Government do not discuss with the police the use of undercover operations in relation to environmental protest groups. The Home Office has spoken to Nottinghamshire Police about the next steps in this case, which has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It is talking to ACPO and HMIC about which body is in the best position to undertake a review of the wider lessons to be learnt.

[Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her reply and I hope that we can have an inquiry into the workings of these police units. I am sure that she would agree that we cannot have a situation of overtly having freedom of speech and freedom to demonstrate but covertly demonstrators are in fear of agents provocateurs and of being spied on and put on databases held secretly when they have no idea what is going on. Does she agree that there is far more to this than the one simple case? We need to clean up the position so that people can demonstrate. If they commit criminal acts, they will be prosecuted, but if they demonstrate in good faith, they should be able to do so without fear.