Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the GOLD Group on Operation GIANNA overseeing the Metropolitan Police Department of Professional Standards investigation into allegations in relation to Gurpal Virdi, how many participants in the GOLD Group had the rank or role of (a) Deputy Commissioner, (b) Deputy Assistant Commissioner, (c) Commander, (d) Chief Superintendent, (e) Superintendent, (f) Detective Chief Inspector, (g) Detective Inspector, (h) Detective Sergeant, (i) member of SCD2 Sapphire, (j) member of the Department of Media and Communications and (k) member of the Department of Legal Services; whether representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service were ever present; how many meeting were held; which attendees asked whether there was any evidence that Gurpal Virdi was present at the arrest of the complainant in autumn 1986; which attendees asked whether there was evidence taken from PC Markwick on the arrest for which he was the officer in charge; which attendees asked why evidence was not sought from PC Mady on the arrest of the complainant in spring 1987; what assessment he has made of the equity of the only review of the investigation being conducted by the Department of Professional Standards into its original investigation; and if he will make a statement.

Oversight and review of investigations conducted by professional standards departments are operational matters for forces and, where appropriate, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Such decision making is in-dependent of government.