Policing and Crime Bill

I understand that this is a probing amendment. As noble Lords will know, the policing Green Paper, From the Neighbourhood to the National, identified that the full potential of information systems to support better policing would be achieved only if there were a co-ordinated strategy for those systems developed across the police service. As the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, points out, that is a necessary way to go and it is important that we achieve that. She is absolutely right: not just in government, but across the private sector, we have not got the most brilliant record on large IT systems, and we certainly need to be very nervous of them. Certainly the intention here is not to set up another huge database and go down that route. Since the publication of the Green Paper, the National Policing Board has commissioned the National Policing Improvement Agency to take forward or consolidate a strategy, known as the information systems improvement strategy. Part of the strategy’s approach is to build on the excellent and innovative collaboration work already taking place between forces. The strategy will also review the procurement of IT systems so that, wherever possible, national solutions are delivered for national problems. Historically, we have been very bad at this. I remember sitting between two chief constables and talking about some equipment. One said, "I’m going to buy this", and the other one said, "In that case, I’m not going to get that". We must not be in that sort of situation; it is just outrageous. Section 53 of the Police Act 1996 already allows the Secretary of State to set standards for "equipment", a term which covers IT hardware but not IT software. A strategy that covers hardware alone is not really feasible. It would need to be able to set standards in respect of software as well to deliver the desired benefits in terms of better procurement, more effective services to the public and greater collaboration. Setting standards in respect of IT software will allow us to maximise efficiencies, whether at local, regional or national level. IT software and its development is a very costly element of any IT project, sometimes more costly than the hardware. Major efficiency gains could be made by ensuring compatible software platforms and leveraging more out of the provider—the people whom we are buying from. The amendment seeks to limit the scope of the provisions to IT hardware only. While much progress can be made through voluntary collaboration, we need to be certain that, if it is clear that there are benefits to the public and the police service generally for greater IT collaboration, the Secretary of State has the power to support that collaboration through setting requirements for both IT hardware and software. It is not our intention to cut across the operational decision-making of chief officers. We are merely seeking to enable a more effective regime for promoting efficiency and effectiveness. The Secretary of State would make regulations that support the joint design, procurement and management of IT systems at a national or regional level only if it was necessary to do so for the purpose of promoting that efficiency. Legislation would require any regulations to be preceded by consultation with the APA, ACPO and other relevant bodies. The existing legislation already provides for regulations on hardware, as I said, and Clause 10 now has the modest effect of extending them to software and making it more flexible. On that basis, I ask the noble Baroness to withdraw her amendment.