Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will launch a public inquiry into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of potential breaches of covid-19 regulations in 10 Downing Street.

The Metropolitan Police Service, in common with all other police forces in the United Kingdom, is operationally independent from Government. To protect and maintain that independence, Ministers do not intervene in individual cases, complaints or operational decisions made by the police and nor should MPs.

Allegations against the police are handled under a comprehensive legislative framework, which includes the role of the independent police “watchdog”, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC is responsible for investigating the most serious and sensitive cases and, by law, forces must refer certain matters to them – including any allegation of serious corruption. The Government strengthened the police complaints and discipline systems in February 2020 making them more timely, proportionate and accountable. This included additional powers for the IOPC, including the “power of initiative” to ensure they can investigate of its own volition without first requiring a referral from a police force.