Civil rights campaigners fear that the suggestion from the Scottish police that an ombudsman rather than a fully independent body to watch over allegations of police wrong-doing is not an effective way to ensure the police are honest and open in their affairs. Should public confidence in the police force fall any further than it already has then the Scottish executive should fix a budget and force the review on the police whether or not they want it!

Rosemary McIlwhan, director of the Scottish Human Rights Centre, said: "A fully independent system is the only way to ensure people that their complaints are being dealt with fairly - and that nothing is being swept under the carpet."