Scottish minister orders undercover policing review after UK probe snub
The Scottish Government has ordered an independent review of undercover policing in Scotland after UK ministers refused to extend an existing probe north of the border.
The Scottish Government has ordered an independent review of undercover policing in Scotland after UK ministers refused to extend an existing probe north of the border.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has directed Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) to carry out the "strategic review", which will examine activities dating back towards the start of the millennium.
In doing so, he voiced disappointment the Westminster government has failed to widen the scope of the Pitchford Inquiry - a probe established last year to look into undercover policing in England and Wales - to include Scotland.
The Scottish Government said the decision by UK ministers came despite evidence pointing towards units from south of the border operating in Scotland.
Announcing the new review, Mr Matheson said: "I am firmly of the view that an extension of the Pitchford Inquiry's terms of reference to cover the activities of the national public order intelligence unit (NPOIU) and the special demonstration squad (SDS) in Scotland is still the right thing to do and am disappointed that the UK Government has refused to do so.
"Given the operational extent of those units, the Scottish Government believes that a single coherent inquiry is the most effective approach to provide a comprehensive investigation into these activities.
"However, in light of the Home Office's decision, I have today directed Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to undertake a strategic review of undercover policing in Scotland."
The review will look at the extent and scale of undercover policing in Scotland going back to the point when the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 came into force.
It will also look at any undercover operations carried out north of the border over that time by the NPOIU and SDS.
"This review will also give independent assurance on the operation, procedures and safeguards in place by Police Scotland in relation to undercover policing," Mr Matheson added.