Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 61
61
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 467
Racial disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices highlights need for careful oversight.
Conclusion
More recently, the serious concerns raised about disproportionality in the use of Fixed Penalty Notices as part of police enforcement of the covid-19 regulations provide cautionary evidence about the need for care and oversight in the way new policing powers are introduced. In the first lockdown Black people were 1.8 times more likely to be subject to covid enforcement measures than White people.
Government Response Summary
The government recognises the concerns about disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices and highlights that the NPCC routinely publishes data, has commissioned an independent analysis to be published, and is committed to an action plan for improving diversity and focusing on power use.
Paragraph Reference:
467
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government recognises concerns raised around disproportionality in the issuing of FPNs under the public health regulations in relation to Covid-19. The Government is also clear that nobody should be subject to police enforcement on the basis of race or any other protected characteristic. The NPCC routinely publishes data on Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under COVID-19 regulations. The data includes a breakdown of the percentage of COVID-19 FPNs issued to different demographic groups. These reports show there are disparities across gender, age group and ethnicity in the issuing of FPNs. However, the varied nature of policing in disparate local contexts makes drawing definitive conclusions about disproportionality or comparisons between force areas challenging. As laid out in the Government’s response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ (JCHR) Fourteenth Report of Session 2019–21, The Government response to covid-19: fixed penalty notices, the NPCC has commissioned an independent analysis of FPNs issued to different demographic groups, the findings of which will be published in due course. The NPCC has also committed to an action plan examining how it can improve diversity across forces, to improving community relations, and to focussing on the use of powers. Throughout the pandemic, the Government has therefore conducted in-depth assessments of the impacts of proposed policies, including on groups with protected characteristics. These assessments helped to inform decision making. The Government also worked closely with policing partners to ensure that restrictions set out in the regulations were reasonably and lawfully enforced.