Clarification relating to the IPCC

Policing Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, Chief Constable Simon Bailey said:

"Inaccurate comments were given to the Sunday Times last week by a member of NPCC staff about investigations into Sir Edward Heath and were subsequently reported under the headline 'Police: Watchdog 'lied' over naming Heath'.

"It is not the view of the NPCC that the IPCC lied about the naming of Sir Edward Heath; they named him in relation to child abuse allegations, but did not name him as a suspect.

"Police forces investigating Sir Edward Heath took individual operational decisions to confirm their investigations into the ex-Prime Minister in response to the significant media attention that followed.

"We apologise for the misunderstanding that this caused."