Cash for honours: statement by Len Duvall, chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority

35/07
20 July 2007

“The cash for honours inquiry has taken 16 months and involved a team of experienced police officers in a complex and controversial investigation.

“During this time many people have been interviewed and a number of prominent individuals in public life have had their reputations and their integrity held up to intense media scrutiny - we must remember this is not just those under investigation, but also those conducting the investigation.

“I want to stress that I am not judging the rights or wrongs of the inquiry at this stage.

“But the public has the right to know that the police have carried out their duties appropriately, particularly where substantial resources were committed. People need to know that the investigation was fair, impartial and proportionate.

“Therefore I have written to the Commissioner today, as provided by the 1996 Police Act, requiring a report to the Authority that responds to these issues in detail.

“By doing this, the Authority is not questioning the personal integrity of the officers involved or the need to pursue the allegations.

“The Authority will require a thorough report that looks into key aspects and comes back to us as quickly as possible. We will want to know from the Commissioner what lessons are to be learnt and how this learning will influence the conduct of future complex investigations.”

Notes to editors

1. Full text of the letter written by Len Duvall to the Commissioner today:

Investigation into complaint made under Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925

Under the provisions of s22 of the Police Act 1996 (as amended) the Authority requires a report about the Metropolitan Police investigation led by Assistant Commissioner John Yates into alleged abuses by political parties under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. I believe this call is justified in the public interest. I would expect the report to cover the cost of the investigation, an assessment of the proportionality of the resources deployed and the lessons to be learned from conducting such a high profile and sensitive investigation over so long a period.

Clearly there are aspects of the investigation, including conclusions reached about the conduct of individual suspects interviewees, which would be inappropriate to cover in a public report, and accept that you will need to consider, carefully, legal and human rights constraints in respect of personal privacy. I also recognise that AC Yates is committed to report further to the Public Administration Select Committee and we may need to discuss respective timings of your report to the Authority and his response to PASC.

Nonetheless, and without prejudging the content of your report, I am convinced that it is firmly in the interests of the Metropolitan Police for you to have an opportunity to demonstrate to the Authority that, irrespective of the outcome once the papers had been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, the investigation was conducted to the highest standards of probity and professionalism. The report should also address what lessons are to be learnt and how organisational learning will influence the conduct of future complex and high profile investigations.

Given the public interest in this case I will be making this letter available on our website.

Yours sincerely,

Len Duvall OBE, AM
Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback