Mr. Bob Collins:

The Policing Authority did not specifically address the question of unannounced inspections by the proposed new authority in its response. That was because the Policing Authority's sense of the head of the proposed legislation as written is that it does not get in the way of unannounced visits. If we are wrong in that interpretation, we would certainly want to voice our support for the notion of nothing being in the way of such unannounced visits. There is no timescale involved in respect of advanced notice being given to the Commissioner. It would be possible, for example, to tell the Commissioner on a Tuesday that we were proposing to undertake an inspection of X or Y and then to be in those premises unannounced that evening. If it is felt, however, that greater clarity in that regard is required in the Bill as it emerges, then the Policing Authority will certainly support it, because the capacity to undertake unannounced visits is an important part of the inspection function.