Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 88
88
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 221
Launch a national strategy for digital forensics following budget and needs review.
Recommendation
We second HMICFRS’ recommendation that the Home Office lead a review of the digital forensics budget and identify where need is greatest. The review should encompass future funding needs at both force level and centrally. It should provide a basis for a national strategy to bring the service into the 21st century in terms of digital forensics. We recommend the Home Office launch and commence implementation of the national strategy within 12 months.
Government Response Summary
The Home Office, with the NPCC, launched a project in September 2022 to quantify digital forensics challenges and review budgets, which is informing the development of reform options in response to HMICFRS recommendations.
Paragraph Reference:
221
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
121. In September 2022, the Home Office, working with the NPCC, launched a project to quantify the challenges in digital forensics delivery and build an evidence base for future decision-making on change. This successfully collected and analysed data across police forces nationally, supporting our work to address the recommendations made by HMICFRS. 122. We looked at digital forensics budgets in forces and the national picture as part of this data collection. We are now considering issues including governance and approaches to budgets and investment as part of our work to develop options to reform digital forensics, in response to HMICFRS’s recommendation that Home Office work with NPCC, the College of Policing, and the private sector to design an alternative operating model.