This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

An inquiry has been launched into the police watchdog after its report on the investigation into false claims of a VIP Westminster paedophile ring was branded “a whitewash”.

The home affairs select committee announced on Monday that it had launched an inquiry into the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which handles serious complaints about officers and staff in England and Wales. It will also look at the role of police and crime commissioners.

MPs will examine the effectiveness of the police disciplinary process amid criticism of the system.

Yvette Cooper, the chair of the committee, said: “When the government established the Independent Office of Police Conduct in January 2018, it was with the promise of new powers, greater independence and faster decision-making.

“These reforms were meant to increase transparency and build trust in the police complaints and disciplinary process.”

Carl Beech: key points from report into Met's handling of claims Read more

She continued: “Nearly two years on, we continue to hear concerns that the system is not working as it should.

“In this inquiry we expect to look at the IOPC’s powers and effectiveness but, given that most complaints are dealt with by local forces under the scrutiny of police and crime commissioners, we shall also look at whether wider reforms are needed to build a system in which the public can have real confidence.”

In 2017-18, there were 31,671 recorded complaints against the police, down from 34,103 in the previous year. However, this has slowly risen over the last decade with 22,898 before recorded in 2004-05.

The IOPC was created to replace the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which was scrapped after being heavily criticised for ineffectiveness.

But former Tory MP Harvey Proctor branded the IOPC’s report over Operation Midland – which identified “shortcomings and organisational failings” but found no evidence of misconduct – a “whitewash”.

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, said she was “deeply sorry” for the mistakes made during the force’s investigations into the false claims made by Carl Beech, then known as “Nick”.

Operation Midland: how the police fell for VIP abuse fantasist Read more

A damning review of the investigation conducted by the former high court judge, Sir Richard Henriques, identified 43 police failings when he was called in after the 16-month probe ended in 2016 without a single arrest.

Beech is serving an 18-year jail term for fabricating a series of claims of rape, torture and murder by innocent, well-known names from the military, security services and politics.

His claims led to raids on the homes of D-Day veteran Lord Bramall, Lady Diana Brittan, the widow of former home secretary Leon Brittan, and Mr Proctor.

Sir Richard found the warrants were “obtained unlawfully” and that the district judge who granted them was “misled”.

But the IOPC found no evidence the five officers investigated had deliberately misled the judge.

The watchdog found gaps in processes and systems, in a report published on Monday, which made 16 recommendations.

Written submissions can be made online by midnight on 8 December.