Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000

Part VII N.I. Reports and inquiries

57 Annual and other reports by the Board. N.I.

(1) The Board shall, not later than 6 months after the end of each financial year, issue a report relating to the policing of Northern Ireland for the year.

(2) A report issued under subsection (1) for any year shall include an assessment of—

(a) the performance of the police in—

[F1 (ia) complying with section 31A(1);]

(i) carrying out the general duty under section 32(1);

(ii) complying with the M1 Human Rights Act 1998;

(iii) carrying out the policing plan;

(b) the workings of Part VII of the 1998 Act (police complaints and disciplinary proceedings) and trends and patterns in complaints under that Part;

(c) the manner in which complaints from members of the public against traffic wardens are dealt with by the Chief Constable under section 71;

(d) trends and patterns in crimes committed in Northern Ireland;

(e) trends and patterns in recruitment to the police and the police support staff;

(f) the extent to which the membership of the police and the police support staff is representative of the community in Northern Ireland;

(g) the effectiveness of measures taken to secure that the membership of the police and the police support staff is representative of that community;

(h) the level of public satisfaction with the performance of the police;

(i) the level of public satisfaction with the performance of district policing partnerships;

(j) the effectiveness of district policing partnerships in performing their functions and, in particular, of arrangements made under Part III in obtaining—

(i) the views of the public about matters concerning policing; and

(ii) the co-operation of the public with the police in preventing crime.

(3) The Board shall—

(a) arrange for every report issued under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate; and

(b) send a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.

(4) The Board shall, whenever required by the Secretary of State, submit to the Secretary of State a report on such matters connected with the discharge of the Board’s functions, or otherwise with the policing of Northern Ireland, as may be specified in the requirement.

(5) A report under subsection (4) shall be made—

(a) in such form as may be specified in the requirement under that subsection; and

(b) within the period of one month from the date on which that requirement is made or within such longer period as may be agreed between the Board and the Secretary of State.

(6) The Secretary of State may arrange, or require the Board to arrange, for a report under subsection (4) to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 57(2)(a)(ia) inserted (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 20(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 57 modified (4.11.2001) by S.R. 2001/396, art. 3

Commencement Information

I1 S. 57 wholly in force at 15.4.2002; s. 57 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 97(1)(2); s. 57 apart from s. 57(2)(i)(j) wholly in force at 4.11.2001 by S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch.; s. 57(2)(i)(j) in force at 15.4.2002 by S.R. 2002/146, art. 2, Sch.

Marginal Citations

M1 1998 c. 42.

58 Annual report by Chief Constable to Board. N.I.

(1) The Chief Constable shall, not later than 3 months after the end of each financial year, submit to the Board a general report on the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

(2) The Chief Constable shall arrange for a report submitted under this section to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

(3) The Chief Constable shall, at the same time as he submits a report to the Board under this section, submit the same report to the Secretary of State.

(4) The Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament every report submitted to him under subsection (3).

59 General duty of Chief Constable to report to Board. N.I.

(1) The Chief Constable shall, whenever so required by the Board, submit to the Board a report on any such matter connected with the policing of Northern Ireland as may be specified in the requirement.

(2) A report under this section shall be made—

(a) in such form as may be specified in the requirement under subsection (1); and

(b) within the period of one month from the date on which that requirement is made or within such longer period as may be agreed between the Chief Constable and the Board.

[F2 (3) The Chief Constable may refer to the Secretary of State a requirement to submit a report under subsection (1) if it appears to the Chief Constable that a report in compliance with the requirement would contain information which ought not to be disclosed on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(1).]

(4) The Secretary of State may within the period of 30 days from the date of referral of the requirement to submit the report by the Chief Constable, or within such longer period as may be agreed between the Board and the Secretary of State, modify or set aside the requirement, as necessary, [F3 for either or both of the purposes mentioned in subsection (4A).]

[F4 (4A) The purposes are—

(a) exempting the Chief Constable from the obligation to report to the Board information which, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, ought not to be disclosed on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(1);

(b) imposing on the Chief Constable an obligation to supply any such information to a special purposes committee.

(4B) Subsection (4D) applies if—

(a) a requirement to submit a report has been made under subsection (1);

(b) the Chief Constable has not referred the requirement to the Secretary of State under subsection (3);

(c) the Chief Constable is of the opinion that a report in compliance with the requirement would include information of a kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4C).

(4C) The information is—

(a) information the disclosure of which would be likely to put an individual in danger, or

(b) information which ought not to be disclosed on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(1).

(4D) The Chief Constable may, instead of including the information in the report to the Board, supply it to a special purposes committee.

(4E) If the Chief Constable supplies information to a committee under subsection (4D) he shall prepare a summary of the information.

(4F) The Chief Constable shall try to obtain the agreement of the committee to the terms of the summary.

(4G) If the committee agrees to the terms of the summary, the Chief Constable shall include the summary in the report to the Board.

(4H) Subsection (4I) applies if—

(a) the Chief Constable supplies information to a committee under subsection (4D), or

(b) the Chief Constable includes information in a report to the Board and is of the opinion that the information is information of a kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4C).

(4I) The Chief Constable must—

(a) inform the Secretary of State that the information has been included in a report to the Board or supplied to the committee;

(b) inform the Secretary of State and the recipient of the information that, in his opinion, the information is information of a kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4C).]

(5) [F5 Subject to section 74A(7)] the Board may arrange, or require the Chief Constable to arrange, for a report under this section to be published in such manner as appears to the Board to be appropriate.

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 59(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 10(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 10(2)

F3 Words in s. 59(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 10(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 10(3)

F4 S. 59(4A)-(4I) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 10(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 10(4)

F5 Words in s. 59(5) inserted (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 27(2)

60 Inquiry by Board following report by Chief Constable. N.I.

(1) Where the Board—

(a) has considered a report on any matter submitted by the Chief Constable under section 59, and

(b) considers that an inquiry ought to be held under this section into that matter or any related matter disclosed in the report by reason of the gravity of the matter or exceptional circumstances,

the Board may, after consultation with the Chief Constable, cause such an inquiry to be held.

(2) The Board shall immediately—

(a) inform the Chief Constable, the Ombudsman and the Secretary of State of any decision to cause an inquiry to be held under this section and of any matter into which inquiry is to be made; and

(b) send a copy of the relevant report under section 59 to the Secretary of State.

[F6 (3) The Chief Constable may refer to the Secretary of State the decision of the Board to cause an inquiry to be held under this section if it appears to the Chief Constable that such an inquiry ought not to be held on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(2).]

(4) The Secretary of State may within the period of 30 days from the date of referral of the decision of the Board by the Chief Constable, or within such longer period as may be agreed between the Board and the Secretary of State, overrule the decision of the Board.

(5) The Secretary of State may overrule the Board only if, in his opinion, the inquiry [F7 ought not to be held on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(2)] .

(6) The Board may request a person mentioned in subsection (8) to conduct an inquiry under this section.

(7) The person mentioned in subsection (8) may comply with the request under subsection (6) and shall do so if so directed by the Secretary of State.

(8) The persons are—

(a) the Comptroller and Auditor General;

(b) the Ombudsman;

(c) an inspector of constabulary for Northern Ireland.

(9) The Board may, with the agreement of the Secretary of State, appoint any other person to conduct an inquiry under this section.

(10) An inquiry under this section shall be held in public except where the person conducting it decides that it is necessary in the public interest not to do so.

[F8 (10A) Subsection (10B) applies if the Chief Constable supplies to a person conducting an inquiry under this section any information which in the opinion of the Chief Constable is—

(a) information the disclosure of which would be likely to put an individual in danger, or

(b) information which ought not to be disclosed on any of the grounds mentioned in section 76A(1).

(10B) The Chief Constable must—

(a) inform the Secretary of State and the Board that the information has been supplied to the person conducting the inquiry;

(b) inform the Secretary of State, the Board and the person conducting the inquiry that, in his opinion, the information is information of a kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (10A).]

(11) An inquiry under this section may not deal with a pre-commencement matter.

(12) But subsection (11) does not prevent a person conducting an inquiry under this section from considering information relating to a pre-commencement matter if, and only to the extent that, consideration of that information is necessary for him to be able to discharge his functions in relation to the subject matter of the inquiry.

(13) “Pre-commencement matter” means any act or omission which occurred, or is alleged to have occurred, before the coming into force of this section.

[F9 (14) “Paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule A1 to the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (provisions applicable to inquiries etc. under Northern Ireland legislation) shall apply to an inquiry under this section with the substitution for references to the Department of references to the person conducting the inquiry.”]

(15) The Board shall pay—

(a) any expenses incurred by the person conducting an inquiry under this section; and

(b) any expenses incurred by any parties appearing at such an inquiry.

(16) The Board shall send a copy of the report of any inquiry under this section to—

(a) the Chief Constable;

(b) the Ombudsman; and

(c) the Secretary of State.

(17) Where the report of the person conducting an inquiry under this section is not published, a summary of his findings and conclusions shall be made known by the Board so far as appears to it consistent with the public interest.

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 60(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 11(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 11(2)

F7 Words in s. 60(5) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 11(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 11(3)

F8 S. 60(10A)(10B) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 11(5) of the amending Act) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 11(4)

F9 S. 60(14) substituted (7.6.2005) by Inquiries Act 2005 (c. 12), s. 51(1), Sch. 2 para. 22 (with ss. 44, 50); S.I. 2005/1432, art. 2

61 Reports by Chief Constable to Secretary of State. N.I.

(1) The Chief Constable shall, whenever so required by the Secretary of State, submit to the Secretary of State a report on such matters connected with the policing of Northern Ireland as may be specified in the requirement.

(2) A report under subsection (1) shall be made—

(a) in such form as may be specified in the requirement under that subsection; and

(b) within the period of one month from the date on which that requirement is made, or within such longer period as may be agreed between the Chief Constable and the Secretary of State.

(3) The Secretary of State may arrange, or require the Chief Constable to arrange, for a report under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate.