Recommendation DM-16: Duty to cooperate with independent scrutiny bodies
From The Report of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel, published 15 June 2021.
Recommendation
In the interest of transparency and public accountability, all public institutions should be under a duty to cooperate fully with independent scrutiny bodies created by Government, such as the Panel.
In brief (written by this site)
The Panel recommended placing all public institutions under a duty to cooperate with independent scrutiny bodies. In June 2023, the Home Office stated that it introduced a statutory duty of cooperation for serving police officers in February 2020, alongside measures for former officers, but it did not mention other public institutions (Home Office response, Jun 2023). In March 2022, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services found that a non-statutory inquiry could not demand access to material and systems in the same way (HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Mar 2022). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of June 2023 (Home Office response, Jun 2023).
Sources
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.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
Government response
2.3.3. The Home Office introduced a statutory duty of cooperation in February 2020 for serving police officers as part of wider integrity reforms. Police officers now have a responsibility to give appropriate cooperation during investigations, inquiries and formal proceedings, participating openly and professionally in line with the expectations of a police officer when identified as a witness. A failure to cooperate is a breach of the statutory standards of professional behaviour, by which all officers must abide, and could therefore result in disciplinary sanctions. Since December 2017, provisions are in place for proceedings to be brought against former officers to increase public confidence in the accountability of those who committed serious wrongdoing when they were serving, and to ensure that such persons cannot evade being held accountable by the formal disciplinary processes by leaving the police.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Home Office has been found in the sources searched (last checked 30 January 2026). This is separate from the response above.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (22 March 2022)
A non-statutory inquiry – such as the DMIP – could not demand access to material and systems in the same way.
Source
Responsible bodies
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response - HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
Finding