It is quite right, for reasons that I will come to, that those amendments have been tabled, but the amendment that we will press to a vote is amendment 10. As I have just said, the Government should not plug gaping gaps in the police service with volunteers; the police service should be properly funded in real terms. Not until that happens should the Government proceed with their proposals for a new generation of volunteers—for whom, as I will come on to say, there are no constraints thus far on what they might be able to do.
I turn to exactly that point: the proposal that there should be no limits in law on where the chief constable can place volunteers—no limits on the operational role that volunteers might play, including in some of the most vital, sensitive and demanding areas. The public will be rightly dismayed by the Government’s refusal to rule out the use of volunteers in tackling child sexual exploitation, terrorism and serious crime. There has been no clarity in the Government’s proposals thus far about the role that volunteers should play in those areas. We have asked for clarity, but none has been forthcoming.
I now turn to accountability in relation to volunteers. Under the Bill’s provisions, when police officers and special constables have been dismissed following disciplinary proceedings, their details will be added to the barred list held by the College of Policing, and chief officers will not be able to appoint anyone on the list as an officer, a member of police staff or a special constable. However, the Bill does not provide for volunteers dismissed for misconduct to be added to the barred list, which is why we sought to amend the Bill in Committee. Will the Minister explain what mechanisms are in place to ensure that volunteers who abuse their powers cannot serve again?
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We still have not been given clarification about the accountability mechanisms that will be put in place for new warranted volunteers. This issue of accountability is absolutely key. Deborah Glass, the deputy chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, said:
“We believe it is vital for public confidence that all those who perform police-like functions and powers are subject to independent oversight.”
We wholeheartedly agree, but the Government do not seem to take that view in respect of this new breed of volunteer.
In Committee, we also tabled an amendment to provide for centralised guidance concerning disciplinary proceedings against volunteers, as well as against officers, specials and staff. Again, the Government did not support it, and we are no clearer about how exactly they hope to ensure that the necessary professional standards, quality of service and proper accountability are upheld for volunteers.
I now turn to one of the most extraordinary proposals in the Bill. The other day, a colleague of mine nicknamed it the John McEnroe or the “You cannot be serious” proposal. I was in Brighton with my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Peter Kyle) only yesterday to talk to PCSOs and members of the public. They just could not believe that volunteers will be able to use CS gas and PAVA spray. “What fool came up with that idea?” asked one. That is a good question. Perhaps the Minister can enlighten us. It is our very strong view that CS gas and
PAVA spray should be used only by officers who are regularly trained in their use and, importantly, in the law concerning their use.