(1)After section 61 of the 1998 Act there shall be inserted—
(1)The Ombudsman may make to the Chief Constable and the Board a report on any matters concerning the practices and policies of the police which—
(a)come to the Ombudsman’s attention under this Part; and
(b)should, in the opinion of the Ombudsman, be drawn to the attention of the Chief Constable and the Board.
(2)The Ombudsman may carry out research into any matter which may be the subject of a report under subsection (1).”
(2)In section 63 of the 1998 Act (restriction on disclosure of information), after subsection (2) there shall be inserted—
“(2A)Subsection (1) does not prevent the Ombudsman, to such extent as he thinks it necessary to do so in the public interest, from disclosing in a report under section 61A—
(a)the identity of an individual, or
(b)information from which the identity of an individual may be established.”