BENCHMARK FOR A MODERN POLICE SERVICE - MOWLAM POLICE TO REGISTER MEMBERSHIP OF PRIVATE SOCIETIES (Freemasonry)

The Scotch-Irish's New Restrictions on Secret Societies and the Police

BENCHMARK FOR A MODERN POLICE SERVICE
Secretary of State Mowlam: Police To Register Membership of Private Societies

4 November 1998

Secretary of State, Dr Marjorie Mowlam, today published the Government's response to a report into the composition, recruitment and training of the RUC by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.

She said the Government accepted a number of recommendations made by the Committee. In answer to a Parliamentary Question from Tony McWalter MP (Hemel Hempstead) Dr Mowlam said: "The principle that police officers who belong to private societies should register their membership has the support of the Police Authority and the Chief Constable who has already made enormous strides to the way his officers are recruited and trained.

The Government has accepted a number of recommendations made by the Committee. These include:

• Police officers who already belong to organisations such as the Loyal Orders, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Freemasonry should register their membership of such organisations, initially on a voluntary basis;
• There should be a more rigorous system of registration in place for new recruits; and
• Registration should be on a private basis with RUC management and perhaps other relevant bodies such as the Independent Commission for Police Complaints;

The Government has considered but rejected for now the proposal that membership of organisations mentioned by the Select Committee should in effect prevent someone becoming a police officer. Dr Mowlam said: "The question of a police service which can fairly represent all sections of the community in Northern Ireland is one of the main terms of reference of the Independent Commission on Policing and it would be peremptory to go further in advance of the Commission's findings."

A new working group is to be set up to consider how the proposals will be implemented. The working group will meet soon and examine:

• how information relating to the private interests of police officers and others should be gathered and held;
• how, if at all, such information should be available publicly;
• which societies, bodies or interests should be covered;
• which public agencies besides the police should consider schemes for registration and;
• what, if any, further measures might be required to ensure that a system of registration works.

The Report makes wide ranging recommendations on the RUC's recruitment and training structures and working environment. The RUC is committed to positive action in these areas by:

• developing training on community awareness, equal opportunities and race relations;
• issuing advice and appointing support officers to deal with harassment within the force;
• putting in place appeals procedures for recruitment and working with the Fair Employment Commission to increase minority community representation in the RUC.

Dr Mowlam said: "I have consulted amongst others, the Chief Constable and the Police Authority who have both given a broad welcome to the Report. The report provides a timely benchmark of opinion for the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland set up following the Good Friday Agreement as it considers the question of policing arrangements which can fairly represent all sections of the community in Northern Ireland and have widespread community support."

1. The Chief Constable has already taken action on some of the recommendations made in the report. He has altered instructions so that the Union flag will not be flown over police stations on any public holiday. Inspection of the RUC by Her Majesty's inspector of Constabulary has also now been put on the same formal footing as applies in the rest of the UK (as provided in the Police (Northern Ireland) Act).

2. Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, a Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland has been established to "bring forward proposals for future policing structures and arrangements, including means of encouraging widespread community support for those arrangements." The Commission will report no later than Summer 1999.

3. Copies of the Secretary of State's response are available from the NIO Press office,

Tel: 011-44-171-210 6470/1/2.

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