500.Section 327 provides for the abolition of the office of Receiver, by order of the Secretary of State. Related provisions are contained in section 312 (in the definition of a “police fund” in the 1996 Act) and in Schedule 27. The office of Receiver was created by the 1829 Act to handle financial, contractual and similar matters of the metropolitan police force. The office is unique to the MPD - in other police forces, the police authority performs these functions. The MPA will take on the majority of the police-related functions of the Receiver, although the existence of a single financial structure for the GLA means the financial roles of the MPA will be a modified version of those of other police authorities (see Part III of the Act: Financial Provisions).
501.The Receiver has over time acquired a number of responsibilities in respect of the inner London probation service (ILPS) and the inner London magistrates’ courts service (ILMCS). Powers in Part XII of the Act may be used to transfer the ILPS-related responsibilities elsewhere following the use of the order-making power in section 326. The target date for this is 1 April 2001. The ILMCS-related responsibilities will be taken on by the GLMCA – see section 83 of, and paragraph 13 of Schedule 12 to, the Access to Justice Act 1999. Paragraph 33 of Schedule 14 to that Act provides for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities from the Receiver to the GLMCA; paragraph 36 is concerned with the pension arrangements of inner London court staff currently on the Metropolitan Civil Staffs Superannuation Scheme. It is intended that the GLMCA will take on its full powers on 1 April 2001. The Receiver will therefore retain responsibility for these functions for an interim period following the creation of the MPA. Once provision has been made for the transfer of those responsibilities and of the Receiver’s property, rights and liabilities, the Secretary of State may abolish the office of Receiver by order.
502.Paragraph 73 of Schedule 27 makes further provision relating to MPA funding issues. It extends to the MPA the requirement already incumbent on other police authorities to keep a police fund (i.e. a fund out of which money is paid for police purposes). Paragraph 92 of Schedule 27 provides that the MPA rather than the Receiver will be treated as the employer of police cadets in London and paragraph 102 removes provisions relating to payments for special constables and police cadets which will no longer be required. It provides that various grants made by the Secretary of State for police purposes will go to the MPA (via the GLA) rather than to the Receiver. Paragraphs 92 to 94 also provide that grants by local authorities, and gifts of money and loans, will go to the MPA rather than to the Receiver.
Commentary on Sections Part Vi: Police and Probation Services Section 327: Abolition of office of Receiver