Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, this is a probing amendment. When an appropriate officer exercises powers to seize or search property without judicial approval, that officer is required to provide a written report to an "appointed person". This written report must detail the particulars of the circumstances that led the officer to believe that the powers were exercisable and it was not practical to obtain judicial approval. We have already spoken about some of the sensitive issues involved. Having received these reports, the appointed person is required to provide the Secretary of State with an annual report on the exercise of the powers, including recommendations on how the system operates. What kind of individual would the Government expect to be appointed to this role? What would his or her qualifications and experience have to be? This individual will clearly emerge as an important person in the system, both helping to ensure that it operates properly and guiding its operations. I am unhappy that the Bill sets up a relatively lax regime for approving the use of search and seizure powers and then puts in place, in order to make it look good, an initial layer of bureaucracy to assess its functioning, but ex post facto. In many respects we would be much better off if we had a watertight regime in the first place. I beg to move.