Statement by Len Duvall, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, regarding Lord Stevens and Operation Kratos

29 September 2005

Lord Stevens, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner said on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on 19 September, that the MPA had not been informed about Operation Kratos.

This was repeated in the Evening Standard.

His statement was incorrect. He later retracted his comments and the Authority issued a statement to the Press Association setting the record straight. This was circulated to the media.

MPA members received a general briefing on these tactics in March 2002, in a closed session of the Authority meeting.

Kratos was discussed at all stages with the then Home Office nominee for the Authority on specialist operations, Sir John Quinton, who was fully involved in the further development of the strategy.

There will be a further briefing session, in private, this afternoon. We are arranging for an open discussion of the use of the tactic later this autumn, hopefully at the next Authority meeting.

The MPA has always been kept informed of all developing tactics to combat the changing terrorist threats.

Former Chair Toby Harris was briefed at the time, and I was briefed when I took over in 2004.

The MPA is determined that the MPS should be held to account for policing tactics and their development outside an operational context.

We will continue to maintain stringent oversight on policing strategies that will impact on the people of London.

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