Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
2nd Report – Police response to the 2024 summer disorder
Home Affairs Committee
HC 381
Published 14 April 2025
Recommendations
9
Acknowledged
Set out government's plan to improve police mutual aid provision in response to HMICFRS.
Recommendation
As part of a formal response to the HMICFRS reports the Government should set out in particular how it is supporting forces to improve the provision of mutual aid, including how changes to the national policing system will support mutual …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that a forthcoming Home Office White Paper on police reform will cover various issues including how the policing system can work better. However, it does not specifically commit to setting out how it will support forces to improve mutual aid or how a new national policing system will specifically support mutual aid, as part of a formal response to the HMICFRS reports.
Home Office
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Conclusions (3)
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Merseyside Police were put in a very difficult position given legal restrictions on communicating the identity of the Southport suspect and the need to withhold certain information in order to protect the trial. The inconsistent advice from the CPS over the publication of information about the suspect’s religion was particularly …
Government Response Summary
The government states it is carefully considering recommendations from both the Inspectorate and the Committee, committing to publish a Police Reform White Paper that will outline its intentions to address findings, strengthen public order policing, and enhance the response to violent disorder.
16
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We commend the efforts of police forces to maintain business-as- usual policing, particularly the importance attached to maintaining neighbourhood policing. Nonetheless, the disorder and subsequent investigations have had a knock-on impact on other areas of policing, including neighbourhood policing. The Government’s focus on strengthening neighbourhood policing is welcome, as is …
Government Response Summary
The government outlines its neighbourhood policing programme for 2025/26, committing £376.8 million to maintain officer numbers and stating that workforce mix decisions are local but forces are expected to deliver suitably. It does not explicitly address the concern about ensuring the 'right mix' of experienced officers or avoiding hiring cheaply.
21
Conclusion
The right to protest is fundamental in our democracy and we would take seriously any evidence that peaceful protest was being suppressed based on the political views expressed. However, we have seen no evidence that this was the case during the summer. Far from being evidence of ‘two-tier policing’, the …