Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
We asked HMCTS what progress it had made on implementing Dr Natalie Byrom’s recommendations on...
Conclusion
We asked HMCTS what progress it had made on implementing Dr Natalie Byrom’s recommendations on digital justice and data.44 HMCTS told us it had set up a senior data governance panel to provide advice on the accessibility of data and will announce in early 2022 what data it intends to publish and make available. In its written submission, the Legal Education Foundation expressed frustration at the lack of progress on implementing Dr Byrom’s recommendations.45 In particular, HMCTS’s progress has been limited by not currently collecting all the data that it wants. When complete, HMCTS said that its reform programme and new digital case management system—the Common Platform—will address the key gaps in its data.46 HMCTS told us it has rolled out the Common Platform to 44% of Crown Courts. It has experienced some problems with the system, including slow processing at particular points, so HMCTS has paused the rollout while it addresses these issues and carries out a formal review. It said that this pause would also give it time to build back the confidence of HMCTS staff and others using the system. HMCTS told us there was contingency built into its plan and so should not affect the timing for completing the rollout.47 However, we have reported previously on delays to HMCTS’s reform programme. In July 2018, we reported that HMCTS had pushed its expectation for completing the rollout of the Common Platform from July 2018 to July 2020.48
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2023 6.2 The first local criminal justice system scorecards for all crime and adult rape were published in March 2022, bringing together data from across the system for the first time. The scorecards will be published on a quarterly basis to increase transparency, increase understanding of the system, and support collaboration particularly at a local level. 6.3 As part of the wider programme of work on the criminal justice system, the department has recently overhauled its governance structures to increase accountability and drive forward progress in priority areas. These groups will be responsible for ensuring the scorecard is a valuable tool which will facilitate a shared cross-system understanding of progress across the system, and support collaboration both at a national and local level. 6.4 In collecting and presenting this data in one place, the government fully recognises the operational independence of those organisations which have provided data. The transparency that the scorecards offer enables collaboration by providing a cross-system view of progress, including measures that matter to victims, such as how long it takes cases to progress. 6.5 Metrics in the scorecard are grouped in priority areas aligning with the outcomes the government commits to achieve, in partnership with criminal justice system agencies: improving timeliness, increasing victim engagement and improving quality. 6.6 The department hopes to improve victim experience and reduce the number of victims dropping out of the system. The scorecards will measure, for example, the percentage of investigations that are closed because a victim withdraws support before an investigation is completed. This will allow the department to ensure that victims are supported in the best possible way whilst they engage with the criminal justice system. 6.7 The department will use the data in the scorecard to identify and understand disparities across local and regional areas, enabling the sharing of best practice to help local criminal justice agencies drive improvements. 6.8 The scorecards represent a transformative change to the way data is used to ensure a common understanding of the criminal justice system. The department has ambitious plans to significantly improve the quality of data, and is currently developing better metrics to measure progress, especially around victim experience. The scorecards are iterative and will be improved as further insights are gained on the indicators which best reflect the whole system.