Fair and efficient police investigations and outcomes depend on the timely delivery of high-quality forensic science.<\/p>
We are working with PCCs, Chief Constables, the Forensic Science Regulator and other leaders in forensic science to ensure forensic services are reliable and robust.<\/p>
Government has also invested in a Digital Fingerprint Capability programme and a Digital Forensics Programme which are helping forces to access, develop, and deliver a more integrated forensic service and solutions to tackle forensics work more efficiently.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dame Diana Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-10-14T12:16:32.273Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-10-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Forensic Science"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve forensics as part of speeding up criminal investigations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/5210", "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Hayes"} ], "uin" : "7104"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1685224", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1685224/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office has made no direct assessment of its own, but we have worked with the National Police Chief\u2019s Council and the Forensic Science Regulator to monitor the accreditation rates of forensic science providers.<\/p>
The government also put the Forensic Science Regulator on a statutory footing through the Forensic Science Regulator Act (2021) and he has the necessary powers to enforce quality standards.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon South"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-01T12:11:23.963Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Forensic Science"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the standard of forensic science available to police officers on prosecution rates.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "901313"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1665573", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1665573/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office does not hold data on capacity at police laboratories and the deployment of resources on forensic science activities is for individual forces and Police and Crime Commissioners to determine. However, the Forensics Reform Programme Board has oversight of strategic capacity issues. Through this Board we have assessed that there are capacity shortfalls in some areas of forensics, including digital.<\/p>
The Home Office has invested £4.33m in 2022/23 and £3.2m for 2023/24 to the police-led Forensic Capability Network which provides ongoing support to over 4,000 forensics professionals by coordinating a wide range of national activities. BlueLight Commercial works with the National Police Chief\u2019s Council and the Forensics Capability Network to manages forensic science contracts and other commercial functions in England and Wales.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon South"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-10-25T11:20:18.677Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Forensic Science"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of capacity in UKAS accredited forensic science police laboratories; and whether there is a backlog in cases as of 17 October 2023.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Cat Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lancaster and Fleetwood"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Cat Smith"} ], "uin" : "203035"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1663362", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1663362/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The membership of the Forensic Reform Programme Board, in addition to officials from the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, includes:<\/p>
Association of Forensic Science Providers<\/p>
Association of Police and Crime Commissioners<\/p>
Attorney General\u2019s Office<\/p>
Bar Council<\/p>
BlueLight Commercial<\/p>
Chartered Society of Forensic Scientists<\/p>
Crown Prosecution Service<\/p>
First Forensic Forum<\/p>
Forensics Archive<\/p>
Forensic Capability Network<\/p>
Forensic Science Northern Ireland<\/p>
Forensic Science Regulator<\/p>
Judicial Office<\/p>
Law society<\/p>
National Crime Agency<\/p>
National Police Chiefs\u2019 Council<\/p>
Police Digital Service<\/p>
Scottish Police Authority Forensic Service<\/p>
University of Lausanne<\/p>
United Kingdom Accreditation Service<\/p>
Victims' Commissioner<\/p>
The Terms of Reference of the Forensic Science Programme Board are as follows:<\/p>
The Board, which brings together stakeholders from across policing and the criminal justice system, steers and scrutinises reform to ensure that the forensics model that serves England and Wales is working for the whole of the CJS.<\/p>
The Board oversees completion of the Forensic Reform Programme and ensures that the programme\u2019s interventions deliver the improvements needed. These interventions are intended to strengthen the forensics model and win back the confidence of stakeholders and partners who depend on it, in their service to justice and the public.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon South"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-10-23T14:25:52.813Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Forensic Science"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference is for the forensic science reform programme board.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "201216"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1660412", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1660412/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office has not conducted any such impact assessment and does not hold this data.<\/p>
The Home Office funded Forensic Capability Network (FCN) manages and oversees the Streamlined Forensic Reporting (SFR) process on behalf of policing and the criminal justice system. The FCN last published guidance on SFR in January 2023, which can be read here:<\/p>