Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000

73 Places of detention: lay visitors. N.I.

(1) The Board shall make, and keep under review, arrangements for F1 ... places of detention to be visited by persons appointed under the arrangements (“lay visitors”).

(2) The arrangements shall require a report on each visit to be made to the Board and the Chief Constable by the lay visitor concerned.

(3) The report shall deal with—

(a) the conditions under which persons are held in the F2 ... place of detention concerned and with their welfare and treatment;

(b) the adequacy of facilities at that place of detention;

(c) such other matters as may be specified in an order made by the [F3 Department of Justice].

(4) The arrangements may confer on lay visitors such powers as the Board considers necessary to enable the report required as a result of subsection (2) to be made and may, in particular, confer on them a power to—

(a) require access to be given to each F4 ... place of detention;

(b) examine records relating to the holding of persons there;

(c) interview persons who are being held there;

(d) inspect the facilities there including, in particular, washing and toilet facilities and the facilities for the provision of food.

(5) A power conferred as a result of subsection (4)(b) or (c) may be exercised only with the consent of the person concerned.

(6) Any power conferred by the arrangements may be subject to such limitations as may be specified in the arrangements.

(7) The arrangements shall provide that a person may not be appointed as a lay visitor if—

(a) he is a member of the Board; or

(b) he is, or has been, a police officer.

(8) The Board may issue, and from time to time revise, guidance to lay visitors about the discharge of their functions under this section.

[F5 (9) In this section “place of detention” means a police station at which persons are detained]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 73(1) omitted (13.5.2016) by virtue of Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 49(a), 61(1)

F2 Word in s. 73(3)(a) omitted (13.5.2016) by virtue of Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 49(a), 61(1)

F3 Words in s. 73(3)(c) substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 81(a) (with arts. 28-31)

F4 Word in s. 73(4)(a) omitted (13.5.2016) by virtue of Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 49(a), 61(1)

F5 S. 73(9) substituted for s. 73 (9)(10) (13.5.2016) by Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 49(b), 61(1)