Recommendation R1: National IT system for police intelligence
From The Bichard Inquiry Report, published 22 June 2004.
Recommendation
A national IT system for England and Wales to support police intelligence should be introduced as a matter of urgency. The Home Office should take the lead and report by December 2004 with clear targets for implementation.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended the urgent introduction of a national police intelligence system. In May 2007, the Home Office stated that it remained committed to delivering a police intelligence store linking local records with the Police National Computer (PNC) (Home Office, May 2007). The National Audit Office found in September 2021 that the Police National Database (PND) was introduced in 2011 following the Inquiry (Gareth Davies, Sep 2021). It also reported that the department removed the PND from a wider programme in December 2020 to maintain it as a standalone system until 2031 (Gareth Davies, Sep 2021).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
There has been a comprehensive buy-in across all 43 police forces in England and Wales to the IMPACT (Information Management, Prioritisation, Analysis, Co-ordination and Tasking) programme, which will provide a national information-sharing system for police intelligence purposes and a modernisation of the central information services currently provided by the Police National Computer (PNC). The programme management arrangements and funding are now in place to deliver that system nationwide. The new capabilities will be delivered in stages from 2005 and the programme will be completed by 2007.
Blanket government agreement does not establish acceptance or delivery by each addressee. Some response passages cover groups of recommendations.
Scope of the government response
The Government accepted all 31 recommendations collectively: the Home Secretary's written statement of 11 January 2005 records that "All 31 recommendations were accepted by the Government when the Inquiry reported in June 2004". No document states an acceptance decision for any single recommendation. The response shown against each recommendation is the Home Office's answer to it in the first progress report, sent to Sir Michael Bichard on 22 December 2004 and placed in the Library of the House on 11 January 2005. The Government then reported against the recommendations three more times, in November 2005, May 2006 and May 2007; the updates shown are taken from those reports.
Delivery
Home Office says in progress (22 May 2007)
The Home Office and NPIA remain fully committed to meeting Recommendation 1 through the delivery of a comprehensive store of police intelligence and other operational information, containing and linking locally held data with data currently held on the PNC and other national systems.
From: Bichard Inquiry Recommendations: Fourth Progress Report
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
National Audit Office (8 September 2021)
The PND was introduced in 2011 following the Bichard Inquiry in 2004, which criticised police information-sharing and recommended that a national intelligence-sharing system be created.
From: The National Law Enforcement Data Programme, Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General
Earlier findings (1)
National Audit Office (8 September 2021)
In December 2020, the Department removed the PND from the scope of the NLEDS programme and it will now be maintained as a standalone system until 2031.
From: The National Law Enforcement Data Programme, Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement - National Audit Office
Finding