Scots police want terrorism policy in devo powers

All responsibility for counter- terrorism policing in Scotland should ultimately rest with the chief constable of Police Scotland, according to a proposal from the Scottish Police Federation (SPF).

In a submission to the Smith Commission, which is considering further devolutionary powers for the Scottish Parliament, the SPF also said that the Scottish Parliament should have full policy and legislative responsibility on all matters enforceable through the courts in Scotland.

The federation warned of difficulties involved in vetting the security credentials of any new head of the Metropolitan Police who came from overseas and said it believed the best move for Scotland was for the issue to be devolved.

The federation also said revenues raised through fines or proceeds of crime should be retained in Scotland to provide the Scottish Government with additional resources to help “those who need them most”.

The submission said that only spending on defence, foreign affairs and the administration of the state should be categorised as being of UK-wide significance, and that Scottish MPs should retain the ability to vote on any matter in Westminster.

In the document, the SPF said the recent Appointment of Chief Officers of Police (Overseas Police Forces) Regulations 2014 created the potential for a chief police officer from outwith the UK to be appointed as commissioner of the Met and therefore have overall UK control of counter-terrorism matters – a move which it claimed could create security concerns.

“The Scottish Police Federation is not casting any question over the ability of entitled candidates in their own policing jurisdictions,” the submission said. “However, the commissioner has responsibility for the counter-terrorism policing for the whole of the United Kingdom.

“This responsibility demands the commissioner to be vetted and cleared to the highest possible security levels with his or her first priority always being the safety and security of the United Kingdom.

“With the greatest possible respect, the Scottish Police Federation considers it unlikely potential applicants from the vast majority of the eligible police departments could reach this bar. We consider the security considerations of such a proposal have not been properly 
understood.”

In the 15-page document, the SPF also spoke out against the process of the commission’s consultation, saying that the time-scales within which it is operating are “ludicrously short” and warning that it had the “potential to turn out to be little more than a talking shop”.

The report said that while the 1988 Scotland Act had devolved police matters, “in truth” many aspects – such as misuse of drugs legislation – had remained under UK jurisdiction and added that “despite the relative comfort afforded through devolution, it is apparent that all policy matters falling within the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament are vulnerable to the vagaries of funding from HM Treasury”.