The following are excerpts from the full letter from Nick Herbert
(Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice):
7th December 2011

Thank you for your letter of 28 October to the Prime Minister about the United Family and Friends campaign: Deaths in state custody. I am replying as the Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice. I am sorry for the delay.

I can assure you that the Government regrets every death in state custody. The lndependent Police Complaints commission (IPCC) is a Non-Departmental Public Body, established in 2004 under the Police Reform Act 2002 to provide a specific service to the public on behalf of the Home office. The lPCC is independent – by law – and they make their decisions independently of the police, Government, complainants and interest groups.

This means that:

1. All complaints must be dealt with in accordance with legislation and the guidance issued by the IPCC and agreed by the Home Secretary;
2. All complainants who have their complaints dealt with by the police in the
3. first instance have a right of appeal to the IPCC;
4. They independently investigate the most serious incidents and complaints; and,
5. They report publicly on the outcome of investigations and make local and national recommendations as appropriate to help to ensure that the same thing does not go wrong again.

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