Recommendation FR-17: Code of Practice on Records Access
From The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published 20 October 2022.
Recommendation
The Inquiry recommends that the UK government directs the Information Commissioner's Office to introduce a code of practice on retention of and access to records known to relate to child sexual abuse. The retention period for records known to relate to allegations or cases of child sexual abuse should be 75 years with appropriate review periods. The code should set out that institutions should have: retention policies that reflect the importance of such records to victims and survivors, and that they may take decades to seek to access such records; clear and accessible procedures for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to access such records; policies, procedures and training for staff responding to requests to ensure that they recognise the long-term impact of child sexual abuse and engage with the applicant with empathy.
In brief (written by this site)
In June 2026, Minister Josh MacAlister, answering for the Department for Education, stated that the government will lay regulations instructing the Information Commissioner's Office to produce a code of practice on the retention of personal data relating to child sexual abuse, with the regulator then preparing the code following consultation with an expert panel (Josh MacAlister, Jun 2026). Home Office Minister Jess Phillips had previously stated in January 2026 that the government was preparing the regulations and intended to lay them "as soon as possible" (Jess Phillips, Jan 2026). HM Government reported in April 2025 that the code cannot mandate organisations to keep records for 75 years, but will provide best practice guidance (Home Office, Apr 2025).
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
We accept the importance of access to records. We will engage with the Information Commissioner’s Office on implementing this recommendation.
Delivery
Department for Education says in progress (2 June 2026)
In April 2025, the government set out the immediate and longer-term steps it is taking to act on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation more broadly, which included some evidence linked to Grafton Close. Regarding access to institutional records, the government will lay regulations instructing the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to produce a code of practice on the retention of personal data relating to child sexual abuse. The ICO will then prepare the code following consultation with an expert panel.
Site note: Department for Education written answer of 2 June 2026 to a question about access to historical care records. The passage names the Inquiry's recommendations and reports that regulations directing the Information Commissioner's Office to produce a code of practice are still to be laid.
Home Office says in progress (21 January 2026)
The Government is preparing regulations instructing the Information Commissioner’s Office to produce a code of practice on the retention of personal data relating to child sexual abuse. We intend to lay the regulations before the House as soon as possible. Once the regulations have been laid, the ICO will prepare the code following consultation with an expert panel.
Site note: Home Office written answer of 21 January 2026. The same answer was given to ten questions tabled on 13 January 2026 about the Inquiry's recommendations; it reports under one heading per recommendation, and the row is the passage under the heading "Retention of Records", cited to the question that asks about it.
UK Government says in progress (9 April 2025)
To respond to IICSA’s recommendation on records retention the Government will lay regulations in Autumn 2025 instructing the Information Commissioner’s Office to produce a code of practice on the retention of personal data relating to CSA. The Code cannot mandate organisations to keep such records for 75 years but will include best practice guidance. The Government remains open to legislating if the Code does not have the desired effect.
From: Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update (accessible version)
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response, delivery statement - Department for Education
Delivery statement - Home Office
Delivery statement