Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 64 of the Police reform white paper entitled From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, CP1489, how she plans to ensure that other policing bodies respond to HMICFRS recommendations.

The Home Secretary announced her plans to introduce a local intervention model and new powers for His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to intervene in failing forces in the police reform White Paper entitled “From Local to National: A New Model for Policing”, which was published on 26 January.

Under this local intervention model, intervention leads may be appointed to take responsibility for turning around failing forces, providing focused leadership and oversight where local arrangements have failed. This approach has been used successfully in sectors such as local government, health and education to drive rapid improvement and restore public confidence.

In addition, new powers will be introduced to strengthen HMICFRS’ ability to intervene in failing forces and ensure that other policing bodies respond to its recommendations.

We intend to bring forward legislation to introduce both the local intervention model and the new HMICFRS powers when Parliamentary time allows.