Plan to phase out complex police forms by end of 2009

Controversial forms which police have to fill in every time they stop someone in the street should be phased out by the end of next year, a Home Office minister said today.

The paperwork which was introduced in the wake of the inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, could begin to vanish in four police forces next month, minister Tony McNulty revealed.

West Midlands, Surrey, Staffordshire and Leicestershire police are currently evaluating schemes designed to simplify the complicated form, which can take up to 15 minutes to fill in.

"Early feedback is very encouraging and I hope that by the middle or end of next year it will be fully reformed," said Mr McNulty.

Speaking during a visit to see knife arches and search wands deployed at Stratford railway station in east London, the minister said: "I am very encouraged and I have said to other forces that they have got to start looking at how they are going to do this (phase out the stop forms)."

Recommendations in a major report on police reform by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Sir Ronnie Flanagan earlier this year said the burden of police red tape could be reduced by replacing the form with a simply receipt.

The hunt for knives and other weapons at Stratford station is part of British Transport Police's Operation Shield, which uses portable walk-through metal detectors.

From its launch in 2006 until the middle of July 927 people were arrested and 370 weapons were recovered, including two firearms.

The government has contributed more than £2m towards another initiative by the force, which set up special units to respond to suspicious packages.

A range of high tech equipment is used by the unit, including a portable x-ray device.