Police and Justice Bill

moved Amendment No. 35: Page 87, line 27, at end insert- ““Clerks to police authorities renamed chief executives 19A (1) Section 16 (appointment of clerk by police authority) is amended as follows. (2) In subsections (1) and (2), for ““clerk to”” there is substituted ““chief executive of””. (3) In the heading, for ““clerk”” there is substituted ““chief executive””. 19B In Schedule 6 (appeals to police appeal tribunals), in paragraph 6(2), for ““clerk”” there is substituted ““chief executive””. 19C (1) A reference in subordinate legislation (within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30)) to the clerk to a police authority has effect as a reference to the chief executive of the authority. (2) A person holding office as clerk to a police authority on the commencement of paragraph 19A continues in that office as chief executive of the authority. (3) In this paragraph ““police authority”” means- (a) a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996 (c. 16); (b) the Metropolitan Police Authority.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I think that we have a measure of agreement with this amendment in principle. Before I get stuck into the meat of the subject, I should like to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond, once again for tabling her amendment in Committee to change the title of the ““clerk to the authority”” to ““chief executive”” of the police authority. We made clear at the time that we supported the amendment but had some concerns about the proposed wording. I am therefore pleased that we can bring forward these amendments which implement the changes proposed by the Liberal Democrat Benches. The proposed change in terminology derives from Review of the Selection and Appointment Process of Independent Members of Police Authorities conducted by Kenneth Hamer. The relevant recommendation was: "““I recommend that the title Clerk to the Police Authority should be replaced with a more modern business title such as Chief Executive, or Executive Director, and that section 16 of the Police Act 1996 which requires police authorities to appoint ‘a Clerk’ is a barrier to modernisation””." We agree with that sentiment. Indeed, I recognise that, in practice, the new terminology is in place and that a number of clerks have already adopted the chief executive title. It is of course preferable for the relevant legislation to be updated in accordance with that change. For that reason, I beg to move.