The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct etc.) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/25) (“the Conduct Regulations”) and the Ministry of Defence Police Appeals Tribunals Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3070) (“the Appeal Regulations”), both as previously amended by the Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/84), to apply modified disciplinary procedures and associated appeals procedures to former Ministry of Defence Police (“MDP”) officers.

Part 2 amends the Conduct Regulations. Regulation 5 amends the application provisions (regulation 9 of the Conduct Regulations) to set out the circumstances in which the Conduct Regulations apply, with the modifications set out in new Schedule 1A to those Regulations (inserted by regulation 22 of, and the Schedule to, these Regulations), to former MDP officers.

Part 3 amends the Appeal Regulations. Regulation 25 inserts a new regulation setting out the grounds on which a former MDP officer may appeal to a police appeals tribunal. Regulations 24(b) and (d), 26 to 33 and 34(a) and (c) make further amendments to the Appeal Regulations so that they apply to such persons.

Part 2 further amends the Conduct Regulations as follows. Regulation 9(b) makes a consequential amendment. Regulation 3 inserts a definition of “Convention rights” relevant to the amendments made by regulations 10 and 19 (see below) and amends the definition of “external procedures” to exclude procedures established with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner in Scotland so that the provisions of Part 3 (investigations) of the Conduct Regulations apply to cases investigated under those procedures. It also corrects the definition of “disciplinary proceedings” to remove the reference to any appeal and amends the definition of “the officer concerned” to remove the unnecessary cross-reference.

Regulations 4 and 6 make minor corrections, regulations 7 and 12 correct errors relating to the circumstances in which Part 3 does not apply (regulation 7) and references to when disciplinary action may be imposed (regulation 12) and regulations 10 and 19 amend provisions relating to who may attend misconduct proceedings and special case hearings respectively. Regulations 8 and 13 correct provisions conferring on the Secretary of State a power to give directions so that they also provide for further hearings (following misconduct hearings) in relation to senior officers. Regulations 9(a) and 18 correct provisions relating to the legal representation of the Director General or Ombudsman at misconduct hearings and special case hearings respectively. Regulations 11 and 21 amend incorrect cross-references and regulations 14 to 17, 19 and 20 amend provisions relating to notices of, and procedures at, special case hearings.

Part 3 further amends the Appeal Regulations as follows. Regulation 24(a) and (c) respectively insert a missing definition and amend the definition of “head of HR”. Regulation 34(b) amends the provision relating to the remission of a matter to a new panel where a tribunal determines that a ground of appeal has been made out.

A full Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or private sector is foreseen.