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
3
Deferred
Publish the CPS's new media protocol promptly and ensure shared understanding with partners.
Recommendation
Notwithstanding potential changes to contempt of court laws, we recommend that the CPS publish its new media protocol as soon as possible and keep this updated at least every five years or earlier if there is a significant change 33 …
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Government Response Summary
The government response discusses the Home Office's ongoing use of open-source material and plans to strengthen this capability, noting that specific proposals and financial investment are still under consideration and decisions have not yet been taken. It does not address the recommendation regarding the CPS publishing a new media protocol.
Home Office
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5
Deferred
Publish government's formal response to HMICFRS review on supporting police force implementation.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government publishes a formal response, after the second tranche of the HMICFRS review is published, setting out how it will support police forces to implement the findings of the review, including any additional funding if required, …
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Government Response Summary
The government outlines its ambition to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) with a new strategy to be published later this year, and has announced £13.1 million for a new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection. It also mentions a forthcoming police reform White Paper but does not commit to a formal response to the HMICFRS review findings with details on funding and timeframe for implementation as requested.
Home Office
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13
Deferred
Outline a comprehensive strategy to improve police officer retention alongside recruitment efforts.
Recommendation
The Government should outline a comprehensive strategy forpolice officer retention alongside its recruitment efforts. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47)
Government Response Summary
The government states that workforce reforms, including activities to support police officer retention, will be developed as part of the forthcoming Police Reform White Paper. It also highlights existing College of Policing guidance and the NPCC National Leavers Framework.
Home Office
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19
Deferred
Ensure policing reforms empower the national system to respond to emergencies without significant government intervention.
Recommendation
The Government should ensure that its policing reforms empower the national policing system to respond effectively to emergency situations, without requiring significant Government intervention. (Recommendation, Paragraph 63) 36
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the limitations of current systems and states that an upcoming Home Office White Paper on police reform will cover issues relevant to enabling an effective national policing system, deferring specific actions to this future document.
Home Office
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Conclusions (5)
6
Conclusion
Deferred
Individual police forces did their best to monitor social media ahead of and during the disorder as a source of intelligence. It is important that forces retain local capacity to monitor social media on a business-as-usual basis. However, it is clear that the volume of social media activity, including some …
Government Response Summary
The government response outlines plans for workforce reforms and officer retention as part of the forthcoming Police Reform White Paper, citing low resignation rates and initiatives like the NPCC National Leavers Framework. It does not address the recommendation for enhanced national and local capacity for social media monitoring in policing.
7
Conclusion
Deferred
The new national system for policing should include enhanced capacity to monitor and respond to social media at the national level, while also supporting forces to develop the necessary capacity. (Recommendation, Paragraph 31)
Government Response Summary
The government states that the Home Secretary has provided £28.3 million in funding to police forces to cover the additional costs of policing past disorder, paid in full in May 2025. This response does not address the recommendation for enhanced national capacity to monitor and respond to social media.
8
Conclusion
Deferred
While we heard of several instances of mutual aid being quickly and effectively provided, there were also some problems in its provision, and inconsistencies in the way mutual aid requests were handled. (Conclusion, Paragraph 35) 34
Government Response Summary
The government details funding for the neighbourhood policing programme, committing £376.8 million to maintain officer numbers in 2025-26 and increase the neighbourhood policing workforce, with future decisions to be set out in the upcoming Spending Review. This response does not address the issues raised concerning inconsistencies in mutual aid provision.
10
Conclusion
Deferred
We agree that despite the best efforts of policing leaders, shortcomings in national policing structures inhibited the response to the disorder and national mobilisation came too late. The disorder highlighted deficiencies that also affect business-as-usual policing, such as a lack of reliable national data. We welcome the Government’s commitment to …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges limitations in policing systems and states that an upcoming Home Office White Paper on police reform will cover issues including technology, the future workforce, and system improvements, thereby deferring specific actions.
18
Conclusion
Deferred
The Government’s approach to working with police forces during the disorder was clearly seen as appropriate by the police leaders involved, who welcomed the level of support and challenge they received. The assurances that the Government provided helped to ensure that the police were able to mobilise effectively nationally. However, …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the limitations of current policing systems and states that the Home Office’s upcoming White Paper on police reform will cover issues relevant to creating a more effective and resilient national policing system, deferring specific actions.