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Westminster urged to act to free up police time
30/12/2007
The Scottish Government has called on UK Ministers to urgently agree a timescale for giving vehicle inspectors in Scotland new powers to stop vehicles that will free up police time - or consider devolving responsibility for the powers to Holyrood.
In October 2007 Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill wrote to Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly urging her to change laws that currently require police officers to accompany Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) inspectors for each roadside vehicle check in Scotland.
The move, which will free up hundreds of days of police officers' time for other frontline duties, has the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers and Road Haulage Association.
VOSA already has the power to stop moving vehicles in England and Wales by virtue of the Police Reform Act 2002 (PRA).
Ms Kelly has now indicated that the powers could be extended to Scotland by regulations (an affirmative resolution statutory instrument) at Westminster, but said she could not "make any definite promise as to when this will be".
Responding, Mr MacAskill said:
"I am disappointed by the response to our request for a change in the law which can help us redirect more police time to where they and our communities want them - on the streets, detecting and deterring crime or promoting road safety.
"Ms Kelly acknowledged that what we propose would lead to service improvements and result in efficiencies, and she indicated that this could be achieved without the need for primary legislation.
"So I am frustrated by the lack of any commitment to a timeframe for delivering this widely supported change.
"I appreciate the legislative pressures at Westminster, but the Scottish Government is keen to give this issue a higher priority.
"Changing the law would enable the police to commit time and resource to concentrate on other core policing activities - protecting our communities not chaperoning officials - while providing VOSA with new opportunities to become more effective, efficient and flexible in their roadside enforcement.
"This initiative is just one example of the fresh thinking the Scottish Government is bringing to increasing the capacity of Scotland's police service in our communities. An approach based on increased recruitment, improved retention, and smart redeployment of officers.
"I have written again to Ms Kelly suggesting that we urgently agree a specific timetable early in the New Year to develop this as secondary legislation in the UK Parliament, to enable VOSA to have the power to stop vehicles in Scotland.
"Failing that, we may need to consider an alternative approach to achieving our aims, such as seeking to devolve the requisite power to Scotland to allow the Scottish Parliament to put this legislation into effect."