Policing Bill

Part 3 is about support for effective policing. It sets out proposals to support front-line policing through access to clear powers and protections. Principally, it covers areas of current policing practice and existing law that can be carried forward into the new Policing Act, in some cases with updated language and minor change.

A small number of police-related provisions and other statutes are also transferred into the new Policing Act by this bill, notably a small number of front-line police powers, which will have better visibility in the Policing Act for those who have to use them day by day. In particular, clauses 32 to 33 modernise the way in which the police are able to obtain particulars of identification of persons they take into custody or whom they intend to summons for an offence.

There is a Supplementary Order Paper in my name with a small technical change on this particular part. I do not think it requires a lot of explanation from me, but, obviously, effective policing, bringing forward those particular powers and protections into this Act, bringing forward provisions from other statutes, and making the Act clearer and easier to use for those who have to use it on an everyday basis is important.

It is also important, I think, to ensure we modernise the language. One of the interesting things about the old Act, as one sees if one reads it, is that it was certainly written for 1958. Not many of us would actually remember what 1958 was like, but the language of the old Act reflects those times. This part of the bill is about bringing the old Act forward, making those minor changes, and bringing the legislation up to contemporary times.

National will be supporting Part 3 of the Policing Bill as well. As the Minister has said, it runs through a number of powers and abilities that the police have in respect of dealing with people in custody, dealing with people on the street, and obtaining and identifying particulars of persons whom they may wish to issue a summons to in order to expedite their dealings with them and bring them before the court.

It also relates to searches of people in custody and the identifying particulars that they are able to take from those who get arrested to be taken before the court. It allows for the security of biometric information in relation to them, as well. It also helps the police in dealing, for instance, with intoxicated people, who unfortunately the police have to deal with from time to time, with the power of arrest but without having to go on and prefer charges on them. The bill is moving to allow the police to deal with people in a humane way.

Progress reported.

Report adopted.

The House adjourned at 5.56 p.m.