MSPs to debate motion of no confidence in Police Scotland's strategic ability

6 December 2017, 08:26 | Updated: 6 December 2017, 08:28

A motion of no confidence in the strategic ability of Police Scotland and its Scottish Police Authority (SPA) watchdog will be debated at Holyrood.

Liberal Democrats are to raise the issue and will demand ministers set up an independent commission to look at problems in policing.

It comes after Police Scotland lost some of its most senior staff, with the Chief Constable on "special leave", while one of his assistants has been suspended.

Meanwhile a new chair has been installed at the SPA, with former Labour health minister Susan Deacon replacing Andrew Flanagan, who quit after MSPs raised concerns over governance and transparency at the organisation.

The Liberal Democrat motion, to be debated on Wednesday afternoon, states: "The Parliament does not have confidence in the structure of both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to deliver resilient and accountable policing at a strategic level."

It goes on to make clear that it "believes that the Scottish Government should take responsibility for this".

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: "Police officers and staff work incredibly hard, day in day out, protecting our communities.

"I know many look on in disbelief at what is going on at the top. They have been left to make the best of a bad job following the SNP's botched centralisation."

He accused the SNP of having "bulldozed" the creation of Police Scotland - which was formed from eight regional forces in 2013 - through the Parliament.

Mr McArthur said: "We have heard promises of a reset before. There is no escaping the fact, however, that the current policing structures are not fit for purpose.

"With a budget black hole, failing IT, and a forced merger with the British Transport Police on the horizon, we need to see a fundamental change.

"Parliament has a legitimate role in setting out the structures of policing in Scotland. The SNP Government bulldozed through flawed proposals when it centralised the police.

"Having lost their majority, SNP ministers must now provide an opportunity for the damage to be undone with the help of an independent expert commission."

However Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, who is in charge of day-to-day policing, said he had "absolute confidence" in Police Scotland's staff and leadership.

He stated: "This is clearly a challenging time for policing in Scotland and my focus continues to be on meeting the operational and organisational challenges we face, and providing the leadership of policing that the people of Scotland rightly expect."

He added: "Leadership exists across all aspects of policing, from my role as the Deputy Chief Constable all the way through the organisation to the Police Constables serving their local communities.

"I have absolute confidence in the leadership provided by all the officers and staff that serve in Police Scotland, and the qualities, skills and experience that we collectively possess."

Meanwhile Ms Deacon said she would be working with the board of the SPA, Police Scotland and others "to accelerate improvement, and to build trust and confidence in policing".

She stated: "This approach is one part of helping to turn the SPA outwards to the people and interests it is there to serve. That's an approach I want to develop further around our next public meeting of the Authority on December 19."