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New proposals laid in parliament today will save an estimated 800,000 hours of police time each year.

The first steps to scrap the stop and account form used by police – and save an estimated 450,000 hours of time each year – were taken today.

New proposals laid in parliament today will also reduce the amount of information officers are required to take as part of the stop and search process.

In future, seven items will need to be recorded rather than twelve. This will save around 350,000 hours of time each year.


More time for the frontline
Policing minister Nick Herbert said: 'We’re determined to free police from unnecessary red tape so they have more time for frontline duties and responding to the real concerns of their communities.

'Scrapping the stop and account form and reducing the box ticking around stop and search will free up to 800,000 hours of police time.'


Latest figures
Latest figures show that in 2008-9 more than 2.2 million stop and accounts were recorded. In the same period, there were more than 1.5 million and searches.

The powers will now be debated in the House of Commons and are expected to take effect shortly after.