Greater London Authority Act 1999

The Metropolitan Police Authority and its police force

310 Establishment, membership and duty to maintain police force

(1) After section 5 of the [1996 c. 16.] Police Act 1996 there shall be inserted—

“The metropolitan police force

5A Maintenance of the metropolitan police force

A police force shall be maintained for the metropolitan police district.

5B Establishment of the Metropolitan Police Authority

(1) There shall be a police authority for the metropolitan police district.

(2) The police authority established under this section shall be a body corporate to be known as the Metropolitan Police Authority.

5C Membership etc of the Metropolitan Police Authority

(1) The Metropolitan Police Authority shall consist of twenty three members (subject to subsection (2)).

(2) The Secretary of State may by order provide that the number of members of the Metropolitan Police Authority shall be a specified odd number not less than seventeen.

(3) Before making an order under subsection (2) which reduces the number of members of the Metropolitan Police Authority, the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the Greater London Authority;

(b) the Metropolitan Police Authority; and

(c) the person or body responsible for the appointment of members of the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority under regulations made under section 30B of the Justices of the [1997 c. 25.] Peace Act 1997 (which, by virtue of paragraph 5(b) of Schedule 2A to this Act, appoints magistrates to be members of the Metropolitan Police Authority).

(4) An order under subsection (2) which reduces the number of members of the Metropolitan Police Authority may include provision as to the termination of the appointment of the existing members of the Metropolitan Police Authority and the making of new appointments or re-appointments.

(5) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (2) shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

(6) Schedules 2A and 3 shall have effect in relation to the Metropolitan Police Authority and the appointment of its members.

The metropolitan police and forces outside London.”

(2) After Schedule 2 to the [1996 c. 16.] Police Act 1996 there shall be inserted the Schedule 2A set out in Schedule 26 to this Act.

311 Assimilation of general functions to those of other police authorities

In section 6 of the [1996 c. 16.] Police Act 1996 (general functions of a police authority to include securing the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area) after subsection (4) there shall be inserted—

“(5) This section shall apply in relation to the Metropolitan Police Authority as it applies in relation to a police authority established under section 3.”

312 Metropolitan Police Authority to be police authority instead of Secretary of State

(1) Section 101 of the [1996 c. 16.] Police Act 1996 (interpretation) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In the definition of “police authority”, in paragraph (b), for “Secretary of State” there shall be substituted “Metropolitan Police Authority”.

(3) In the definition of “police fund”—

(a) in paragraph (a), after “force maintained under section 2” there shall be inserted “or the metropolitan police force”, and

(b) paragraph (b) shall cease to have effect.

313 Openness

(1) Section 100J of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 (access to meetings and documents: application of Part VA to certain authorities as to principal councils) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1) (which lists the bodies to which the Part is applied) after paragraph (e) there shall be inserted—

“(eza) the Metropolitan Police Authority;”.

(3) In subsection (3) (modifications of section 100A(6)(a) relating to council premises in the case of certain bodies specified in paragraphs of subsection (1)) after “(e),” there shall be inserted “(eza),”.

(4) In subsection (4) (application of section 100G(1)(a) relating to registers of members in the [1996 c. 16.] case of certain bodies specified in subsection (1)) in paragraph (a), after “Police Act 1996” there shall be inserted “or the Metropolitan Police Authority”.