Commentary on provisions of Act Section 12 and Schedule 5: Framework for establishment of tri-service serious crime unit
This section and Schedule 5 set out the framework for the establishment of a tri-service serious crime unit for the service police. The section provides that the Provost Marshal for serious crime (who heads the new unit) is subject to the same rules about appointment as the existing provost marshals of the service police forces by amending section 365A(1) of AFA 2006. It provides in particular that the Provost Marshal for serious crime is appointed by Her Majesty. This section also amends 115A of AFA 2006 and provides that the Provost Marshal for serious crime owes the duty of investigative independence for investigations by the tri-service serious crime unit on the same terms as existing provost marshals owe a duty of investigative independence for investigations by their service police force. Schedule 5 provides in particular for the tri-service serious crime unit and Provost Marshal for serious crime to have the same statutory powers as, respectively, the existing service police forces and provost marshals.