Timely access to material for panels
Arrangements must be made in future to ensure that any Panel has timely access to the material required to do its work. Organisations that promise to make 'exceptional and full disclosure' should be prepared to do so both within the letter and the spirit of such a promise.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe Government's view is that in future, specific disclosure arrangements – including in respect of information security – should be agreed between inquiries and information providers at an early stage wherever possible. The Government agrees with the Panel that organisations which make commitments to disclose material to non-statutory inquiries or panels should do so in a timely manner, and that all efforts should be made to ensure that future panels and non-statutory inquiries are able to access relevant material at a convenient location, including at their own premises where security requirements allow.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
The government agreed that organisations promising 'exceptional and full disclosure' should do so within letter and spirit. However, in June 2023 -- two years after the Panel reported -- the Met disclosed that documents relevant to the case had been found in a locked cabinet at New Scotland Yard that should have been provided to investigators. The Met called this 'unacceptable and deeply regrettable.' This discovery undermines confidence in disclosure commitments.
View detailed findings
Policy commitment accepted but the June 2023 discovery of undisclosed documents in a locked cabinet at New Scotland Yard demonstrates that disclosure commitments have not translated into reliable practice.