Met is given control of police unit behind undercover fiasco

The police unit that deployed undercover officer Mark Kennedy is to be placed under Met control, a Home Office minister said today.

Policing minister Nick Herbert told the Commons home affairs committee the national public order intelligence unit, which is currently run by the Association of Chief Police Officers, would be shifted to Scotland Yard to improve public scrutiny of its activities.

He told MPs: "It is not desirable that nationally operated units like that are run by ACPO. These units should be moved out of ACPO to lead forces." Mr Herbert said that in the case of the surveillance unit for which Mr Kennedy worked, discussions had taken place with the Metropolitan Police Authority and it would be transferred to Met control after further consultations with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Mr Herbert said something had "gone very wrong" in the operation involving Mr Kennedy although he declined to comment in detail because of the investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

When asked by MPs about a £200,000 expenses fund, reportedly given to Mr Kennedy, Mr Herbert said that ministers were determined to ensure that public money was spent appropriately but said that questions about this money should be directed towards Sir Hugh Orde, the President of ACPO.

ACPO said the recommendations had been drawn up last year and were not a result of the controversy involving the undercover operation.

Today it also emerged that police chiefs are reviewing how such long-term operations are handled following the unmasking of the officer who infiltrated eco-activists for seven years.

His role was revealed days before the collapse of a trial of six people accused of planning to invade Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire.

Investigations into why the case collapsed are being carried out by the IPCC. Today the Met's acting commissioner Tim Godwin said there was concern the unit needed "proper governance".

The move, which is backed by ACPO president Sir Hugh Orde, comes after criticism of the secrecy surrounding the intelligence gathering unit. Last week the former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald said the handling of undercover officers appeared to be "alarming" and "opaque" after details of Mr Kennedy's role were revealed.

Two other units conducting undercover operations against domestic extremism are also expected to be taken over by the Yard.