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| Dead baby identities: Met officer refuses to apologise | Dead baby identities: Met officer refuses to apologise |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A senior Scotland Yard officer has refused to apologise over claims that undercover police assumed the identities of dead children. | A senior Scotland Yard officer has refused to apologise over claims that undercover police assumed the identities of dead children. |
| Deputy Assistant Commissioner Patricia Gallan also did not promise the parents concerned would be informed. | |
| Ms Gallan said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of the use of dead children's identities. | |
| Lord Macdonald, an ex-director of public prosecutions, has called for an inquiry into the practice. | Lord Macdonald, an ex-director of public prosecutions, has called for an inquiry into the practice. |
| Ms Gallan also said she wanted to "find out all the facts" before making definitive statements. | |
| Scotland Yard is investigating claims that two former Special Demonstration Squad members used identity records issued in the children's names. | Scotland Yard is investigating claims that two former Special Demonstration Squad members used identity records issued in the children's names. |
| The allegations mainly relate to the squad's operations in the 1980s. The practice has been known about for at least a decade. | The allegations mainly relate to the squad's operations in the 1980s. The practice has been known about for at least a decade. |
| The claims come two years after an undercover officer was revealed as having infiltrated environmental protests groups where he had relationships with two women. | The claims come two years after an undercover officer was revealed as having infiltrated environmental protests groups where he had relationships with two women. |
| The Guardian newspaper reported that the squad stole the identities of about 80 children who had died at an early age. | The Guardian newspaper reported that the squad stole the identities of about 80 children who had died at an early age. |
| The Met said the alleged practice was not something that was "currently" authorised. | The Met said the alleged practice was not something that was "currently" authorised. |
| According to the Guardian report, deceased children's identities were used by the undercover officers because they would stand up to scrutiny if birth records were checked. | According to the Guardian report, deceased children's identities were used by the undercover officers because they would stand up to scrutiny if birth records were checked. |
| The practice was carried out without consultation with the parents of the children, the report suggested. | The practice was carried out without consultation with the parents of the children, the report suggested. |
| Ms Gallan, giving evidence at the Home Affairs Select Committee, said she understood why people were very distressed and would "seriously consider" informing families if the identities of their loved ones had been used. | |
| Inquiry costs | Inquiry costs |
| Ms Gallan said she had been told in September last year about one case - but had not informed the parents. | |
| The committee chairman, Keith Vaz, said the committee was "disappointed" that she had not taken the opportunity to apologise. | The committee chairman, Keith Vaz, said the committee was "disappointed" that she had not taken the opportunity to apologise. |
| However, Ms Gallan said the practice was "not sanctioned within the Metropolitan Police or any other police force" and an investigation into what happened was under way. | |
| Lord Macdonald had previously said it was "completely inappropriate" for officers to use a dead child's identity, or form sexual relationships with people they were gathering information on. | Lord Macdonald had previously said it was "completely inappropriate" for officers to use a dead child's identity, or form sexual relationships with people they were gathering information on. |
| He added: "What we really need is a public inquiry into undercover policing which takes evidence, takes advice, sets out some guidelines, sets out some mechanisms so we can be confident these sorts of procedures are not being followed today." | He added: "What we really need is a public inquiry into undercover policing which takes evidence, takes advice, sets out some guidelines, sets out some mechanisms so we can be confident these sorts of procedures are not being followed today." |
| Meanwhile, the committee was told that Operation Herne - the Scotland Yard inquiry into the activities of undercover police in two units, the Special Demonstration Squad and the National Public Order Intelligence Unit - had cost £1.2 million so far. | Meanwhile, the committee was told that Operation Herne - the Scotland Yard inquiry into the activities of undercover police in two units, the Special Demonstration Squad and the National Public Order Intelligence Unit - had cost £1.2 million so far. |
| It is examining 50,000 documents - some of them secret - spanning 40 years from 1968. The operation is staffed by 20 police officers and 11 civilian staff. | It is examining 50,000 documents - some of them secret - spanning 40 years from 1968. The operation is staffed by 20 police officers and 11 civilian staff. |
| It is also looking at allegations that undercover police officers had sexual relationships with people from protest groups they had infiltrated. | It is also looking at allegations that undercover police officers had sexual relationships with people from protest groups they had infiltrated. |