Policing priorities

Home Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 21 Jul 2022 Closed: 1 Feb 2024 Parliament page
Earlier this year, the Home Affairs Committee approved the appointment of a new Chief Inspector of Policing, the former Merseyside Chief Constable Andy Cooke. Since then, Mr Cooke has repeatedly made news by calling on police forces to focus on preventing and solving crime. We have chosen to inquire into … Read more
40 Recommendations
50 Conclusions
1 Report
9 Oral sessions
3 Letters
9 Events
Activity timeline 23 events
19 Jan
2024
Report published
10 Nov
2023
Report published
26 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
26 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
25 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
25 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
22 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
22 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
15 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
15 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
1 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
1 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 9 sessions
26 Apr 2023
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Andrea Salvoni · Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Dr Katarina Schwarz · The Rights Lab, University of Nottingham Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Metropolitan Police Service
25 Apr 2023
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Lynne Abrams · Home Office Rachel Watson · Home Office Rt Hon Chris Philp MP · Home Office Sarah Swinford · Home Office
22 Mar 2023
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Michael Stewart · Prevent Neil O’Connor CBE · Baroness Casey Review Rt Hon Tom Tugendhat MP · Home Office Sarah Kincaid · Home Office The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB · Baroness Casey Review
15 Mar 2023
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Abimbola Johnson · Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board Katie Cashell · Independent Office for Police Conduct Sophie Linden Tom Whiting · Independent Office for Police Conduct
1 Mar 2023
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Baljit Ubhey · Crown Prosecution Service Gregor McGill · Crown Prosecution Service Jessica Eagelton · Refuge Nicole Jacobs
1 Feb 2023
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Kirsty Brimelow KC · Criminal Bar Association Richard Atkinson · Law Society Zoe Byrne · Victim Support
18 Jan 2023
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Andy Cooke QPM DL · His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services Harvi Khatkar · Police Superintendents' Association Steve Hartshorn · Police Federation of England and Wales
14 Dec 2022
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Sir Mark Rowley QPM · Metropolitan Police Service
2 Nov 2022
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Andy Marsh QPM · College of Policing Dr Rick Muir · The Police Foundation Festus Akinbusoye · Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Martin Hewitt QPM · National Police Chiefs' Council
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Policing priorities HC 635 10 Nov 2023 90 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
10 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Lack of external review timetable threatens Casey Review implementation for Met
There are thousands of committed and ethical officers and staff working in the Met. They—like members of the public, victims, and survivors—have been let down for too long. We are concerned that without an explicit timetable for future external review … Read more
Government Response
The government stated it would support the Mayor of London's commitment to independent progress reviews of the Met after two and five years, as recommended by the Casey report, and noted ongoing monitoring by other bodies.
Home Office
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Inadequate intelligence hinders detection and intervention in police misconduct and re-vetting opportunities
Without appropriate intelligence, forces cannot detect patterns of misconduct or criminal behaviour among officers and staff, or act on them. Proactively alerting forces to new adverse information would provide a valuable opportunity for re- vetting or intervention which may, in … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is considering the impact of changes to misconduct systems, publishes annual police misconduct statistics, and is committed to ongoing work with the policing sector to better understand disparities in the dismissals system.
Home Office
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63 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Ensure adequate resources for frontline health and care services to deliver Right Care Right Person model.
If Right Care Right Person is to succeed as a national approach, it is crucial that those frontline health and care services who will be expected to step up receive the resources they need to do so. As Government makes … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for resources for health and care services, noting no specific additional funding for RCRP yet but that NHS England and DHSC are refining resource estimates to potentially inform future fiscal events. It highlights existing record investment in mental health services through the NHS Long Term Plan and capital funding.
Home Office
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68 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Actively support staff organisations and use tools to ensure forces reflect diverse communities.
Senior officers should actively support staff organisations representing groups and consider the full range of tools at their disposal to ensure that forces reflect the community they serve.
Government Response
The government notes that the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has agreed an approach for national staff support associations and is currently reviewing diversity staff support networks in policing to assess consistency and utilisation.
Home Office
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72 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Individual police forces cannot solely design effective workforce plans in isolation.
It is no longer sufficient that individual forces design their own workforce plans and strategies in isolation. Crime crosses force boundaries and requires specialist officers and recruits with unique skills. Following the end of the uplift programme, it must be … Read more
Government Response
The government states it continues to work with forces to maintain officer numbers and support partners in developing longer-term workforce plans, acknowledging the importance of effective workforce strategies.
Home Office
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73 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Set out an urgent ten-year police workforce plan addressing officer numbers and skills.
We recommend the Home Office set out a workforce plan and strategy for policing over the next ten years as a matter of urgency. The plan should address officer and staff numbers and skills. Particular attention should be placed on … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of effective workforce plans and states it continues to work with policing partners to develop longer-term plans, but does not commit to setting out a specific 10-year strategy by the recommended deadline.
Home Office
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80 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Government's rethink on police degree apprenticeships is surprising given required skills.
The esteem afforded to police officers should reflect the complexity of skills and knowledge needed to do the job well. Given the Government’s general enthusiasm for degree apprenticeships, and the Home Office’s previous view that the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship … Read more
Government Response
The government explains that a new non-degree Police Constable Entry Programme will launch in April 2024, ensuring all entry routes cover the same national policing curriculum, addressing the committee's surprise at the policy rethink.
Home Office
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81 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Investigate the impact of degree requirements on police recruitment, retention, and professionalism.
The Home Office should take care that its determination to keep a non-degree route open into policing is not in conflict with attempts to build the profile of policing as a highly skilled profession, and does not create more inconsistency … Read more
Government Response
The government states the new non-degree entry route will launch in April 2024 and all routes will use the same curriculum. The College of Policing will continue to monitor the effectiveness of all entry routes, but no specific commitment to the recommended investigation or research was made.
Home Office
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82 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Victims suffer from police and CPS disagreements over investigation burden.
As the police and CPS bicker over where the burden of investigation and paperwork should lie, victims and survivors lose out. We understand the rationale for DG6 and we note that the CPS consulted forces and the NPCC when designing … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights the ongoing Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences, which commenced on 12 October, and will assess the relevant disclosure regime and consider improvements.
Home Office
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86 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Policing priorities
Lengthy redaction processes and investigations are inefficient and require urgent digital solutions.
Lengthy and inefficient redaction processes and protracted investigations are neither effective nor fair on either victims or suspects. The handling of case files needs to comply with data protection laws. However, ensuring that the requirements are proportionate and that forces … Read more
Government Response
The government has formed a Redaction Working Group to explore solutions, provided funding for automated redaction products, and is setting up a pilot for a revised process to streamline redaction, while also exploring legislative options.
Home Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 89 of 40 classified
Accepted 27
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 10
Deferred 44
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 1
Total 40 recs + 50 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
18 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire on the Front Line Review, dated 9 January 2023
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18 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service on minority ethnic groups within the Metropolitan Police Service, dated 4 January 2023
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18 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire on the review into the process of police officer dismissals, dated 17 January 2023
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