Police Reform

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

It is important that we do this because one concern that the public had was that they had seen police officers who were under suspicion or potentially subject to misconduct hearings being able to retire or resign and those misconduct hearings were stopped. We have been very clear that in those circumstances, misconduct hearings should continue and if an officer would have been struck off, they should go on the list so that they will not be employed by another force. The measure I have announced is part of ensuring that that can take place. We have also, of course, taken some action on the IPCC’s powers for people to attend interviews. The question of what is said when someone attends an interview is another issue, but we have already taken some steps as regards these historic cases.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

Last night, the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry) had a very thoughtful Adjournment debate, responded to by the Minister for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims, about a case in Sussex. One of the points the hon. Gentleman made was that the family of a road traffic victim had lost confidence in Sussex police, who were trying to investigate one of their own officers. Does the Home Secretary feel that there is merit in reconsidering whether other police forces should be asked to lead on the investigation when off-duty officers are involved?

[Mrs May]

I note the hon. Gentleman’s point and I understand that the case considered in last night’s Adjournment debate went before the courts and the individual concerned was found not guilty by the court—[Interruption.] I understand the point he is making about the question of the police investigating the police. One of the issues when the complaints system is considered will be the question of public concern about the police investigating the police. Obviously, the issue to which he refers involved a criminal investigation that was taken before the courts.

HM Passport Office

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Thursday 12th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. The point is that, as I have indicated, the vast majority of straightforward passport applications are still being dealt with within the time scales that people normally expect, and we should recognise that tens of thousands of people are having their passports sent to them and their applications dealt with to the normally expected timetable. When urgent cases are brought to the Passport Office’s attention, it is doing everything it can to deal with them expeditiously.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

What would the Home Secretary like to say to my constituent Elizabeth Dey, who after more than four weeks of waiting may well miss her honeymoon in 10 days’ time?

[Mrs May]

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman get in touch with the Passport Office—

[Thomas Docherty]

I have done that already.

[Mrs May]

Then if the hon. Gentleman would like to give the details to the Minister for Security and Immigration, we will ensure that the case is pursued.

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Tuesday 21st January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

We take individuals to court where it is possible and where there is evidence on individuals to prosecute them for crimes under the Terrorism Acts. The court is then able to make those decisions. The issue is what does society do with the individuals we are not able to deport or to prosecute. The Government took the decision at an early stage that we introduce TPIMs and give them a two-year time limit. That matter was debated and discussed in this House.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

rose—

[Ian Paisley]

rose—

[Mrs May]

I will give way to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Thomas Docherty) first and then the hon. Member for North Antrim (Ian Paisley).

[Thomas Docherty]

I am grateful to the Home Secretary for giving way. Further to the point raised by the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart), can she confirm on how many occasions the First Minister of Scotland or Scottish Ministers have lobbied her, expressing concerns about this or any future arrangements?

[Mrs May]

I am happy to say to the hon. Gentleman that these matters of security are reserved matters for us here in Westminster. I have not looked at the debate on these issues in Hansard, but I would not be surprised if the hon. Gentlemen from Scotland or indeed Northern Ireland took part.

I will now make some progress. On the specific cases, the police and Security Service have now been working for some time to put in place tailored plans to manage each individual once their TPIM restrictions are removed. Those plans, which are similar to those put in place for the release of prisoners who have served their sentences, are kept under constant review, and they are similar to the plans the police and Security Service use every day to manage other suspects who are not subject to restrictions.

I completely reject the suggestion that the Opposition are putting about that the police and Security Service have not carried out proper risk assessments of these individuals. They have done so because that is their job, and they have put in place specific, tailored plans to deal with each individual.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Thursday 28th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

My hon. Friend raises an extremely important point. We have retained the twin-track approach of the criminalised route or the civil remedy route precisely because of a concern about those who may not want to report people because of the criminalisation aspect. Raising awareness is incredibly important. That is why we are putting in place a support package, working with practitioners to help them to identify the signs that somebody might be about to be taken away for a forced marriage. We are also going to run a summer awareness campaign aimed at young people so that they understand the signs as regards not only something that might happen to themselves but what is happening to their friends, and are more willing to come forward.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

7. What assessment she has made of the potential effect of recent labour market trends on black and minority ethnic communities.

Abu Qatada

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Thursday 19th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

My hon. Friend has put it extremely well. I suggest that those who are trying to make that claim listen to him carefully.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

When the Home Secretary came to the House on Tuesday, was she aware that there was a different opinion from hers about the deadline?

[Mrs May]

As has been made clear to the House, the BBC was making claims about the deadline at that time. The Government have been absolutely clear that the deadline was 16 April. As I have tried to explain to the House today, the Government have also been absolutely clear that the decision as to what the deadline was and whether an application for referral can be accepted—and whether it is within the deadline or whether it can be accepted outside the deadline at the discretion of the European Court—is a matter only for the panel of the Grand Chamber of the European Court. It is the arbiter of this—nobody else.

Counter-terrorism Review

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Thomas Docherty

Wednesday 26th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

Yes, there are significant differences between the past and present situations. The curfews under the control order regime allow 16 hours of detention in the home. The overnight residence requirement will replace the curfews and there will be a requirement for people to stay normally in their nominated home overnight. Most people would consider a normal overnight residence to be eight to 10 hours, but we are not suggesting that we should put a figure in the legislation. That would be a matter for the courts to decide. There is a significant difference between the proposal we are making and the regime that the previous Government introduced.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

Just like the “Grand Old Duchess of York”, the right hon. Lady marched the Liberal Democrats up a hill last May and has brought them back down again this week. On the specific issue of what she now calls the overnight residence requirement, does she not accept that if something acts like a curfew, looks like a curfew and sounds like a curfew, it is a curfew?

[Mrs May]

No, I have just explained the differences between the curfew and the overnight residence requirement.