Recommendation R11: Sexual offences intelligence retention
From The Bichard Inquiry Report, published 22 June 2004.
Recommendation
The Code of Practice should have particular regard to the factors to be considered when reviewing the retention or deletion of intelligence in cases of sexual offences.
In brief (written by this site)
The Home Office stated in May 2006 that the recommendation was implemented (Home Office, May 2006). In its December 2004 progress report, the department had accepted the recommendation, explaining that specific factors relating to intelligence in sexual offence cases, along with standards on IT systems, training, and audits, would be set out in accompanying guidance rather than solely within the Code of Practice (Home Office response, Dec 2004).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
In particular, while there will be reference to the relevant guidance within the Code itself, it was felt that standards relating to IT systems, accountability, training, resources and audit required by Recommendations 10 and 11, together with particular factors relating to information and intelligence in cases of sexual offences, could be more effectively and fully set out in guidance. The guidance will also recognise, as made clear by Recommendation 11, that different considerations may apply to particular categories of information or offences.
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 completed (25 May 2006)
Recommendations 8–11 implemented.
From: Bichard Inquiry Recommendations: Third Progress Report
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement