Evidence & Impact
The Daniel Morgan Independent Panel, chaired by Baroness Nuala O'Loan, was established in 2013 to examine the circumstances of Daniel Morgan's murder in 1987 and the subsequent police investigations. The Panel's report, published in June 2021, made 23 recommendations addressing police corruption, information management, and institutional reform.
The government response of June 2023 accepted 19 recommendations (83%), rejected two (9%), and accepted two in principle (9%). The response indicates that several reforms had already been implemented by that date. The Metropolitan Police reported completing additional forensic analysis and communicating results to Daniel Morgan's family. New conflict of interest policies and investigation structures were introduced, with the National Major Crime Investigation Manual published in November 2021. The force conducted reviews of HOLMES resourcing and professional standards capacity, receiving additional funding of £102.3m in 2023/24.
Significant legislative and procedural changes are documented. The statutory duty of cooperation for police officers was introduced in February 2020, making failure to cooperate a breach of professional standards. Police databases were migrated to cloud systems in 2020. The Crown Prosecution Service updated its guidance in February 2022.
However, several recommendations show limited evidence of progress. The government's response indicates that a duty of candour for public services will be addressed through the Hillsborough families response, with no timeline specified. The revised Code of Practice on Police Information and Records Management had not been laid before Parliament at the time of the government response. The College of Policing's revised Code of Ethics remained unpublished.
The government rejected recommendations for custodial sentences for data protection breaches and licensing of private investigators, citing existing legislation and industry self-regulation as sufficient. On Freemasonry disclosure, while accepted in principle, the response indicates only ongoing assessment rather than legislative action.
Recent evidence from January 2025 indicates HMICFRS returned the Metropolitan Police to default monitoring after closing causes of concern linked to Panel recommendations, with the force reporting completion of anti-corruption reforms, recruitment of 200+ professional standards officers, and doubled vetting refusal rates.
Reforms Attributed to This Inquiry
- Statutory duty of cooperation introduced for serving police officers (February 2020), requiring officers to participate openly in investigations and inquiries
- Metropolitan Police homicide investigation structures reformed with new National Major Crime Investigation Manual (November 2021) setting standards for all forces
- Police HOLMES databases migrated to cloud-based systems (2020), enabling secure remote access for authorised personnel
- Crown Prosecution Service guidance on assessing criminality updated (February 2022) to clarify that advantage need not be financial
- Metropolitan Police introduced new data breach guidance and recovery procedures, subsequently adopted as national guidance by College of Policing and NPCC
- Data Protection Act 2018 strengthened criminal sanctions for unlawful data obtaining and retention, with offences made recordable for first time
Unfinished Business
- Duty of candour for public services remains unresolved, with government indicating this will be addressed as part of response to Bishop James Jones's Hillsborough report
- Code of Practice on Police Information and Records Management to replace 2005 version not yet laid before Parliament despite government acceptance
- College of Policing's revised Code of Ethics promoting openness and accountability not yet published
- No evidence of legislative action on Freemasonry disclosure requirements despite acceptance in principle
- Private investigator licensing rejected with government preferring industry self-regulation through Association of British Investigators' draft Code of Conduct
- Custodial sentences for data protection breaches rejected as disproportionate despite Panel recommendation
Summary written by the tracker with AI assistance, 26 March 2026. Not part of the inquiry record; indicative, not authoritative.