Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to reduce the administration associated with police stop and search procedures.

This Government has taken firm and far reaching action to reform the use of stop and search powers. In April, the Government announced reforms to the police’s use of stop and search to ensure that this measure is used fairly, effectively and with the support of local communities. When stop and search is misused, it is a waste of police time and undermines police and community relations, making the job of policing more difficult. The voluntary Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme, and other measures announced, are designed to reduce the number of stop and searches and promote the proper and effective use of this power. In addition, we are working to explore the possibility of quick and efficient stop and search data recording through the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Network, which will replace the national Airwave system from 2017.

This is in addition to action the Government took in 2011 to scrap bureaucratic recording of all stop and accounts and to reduce the number of items recorded from 12 to 7.