Undercover Policing Inquiry. Read indexed debates, questions, statements and early day motions, with links to the original parliamentary records.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Public Office (Accountability) Bill will have an impact on the potential conversion of the Undercover Policing Inquiry from a statutory inquiry to a non-statutory inquiry.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering converting the undercover policing inquiry from a statutory inquiry to a non-statutory inquiry; and if so, what relevance they consider the Public Office (Accountability) Bill to have to that co
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total cost to date of the Undercover Policing Inquiry; and how much has been paid to the Chair, Sir John Mitting.
As of 30 June 2026, the Undercover Policing Inquiry had incurred a total expenditure of £144,597,900.
The Chair’s remuneration forms part of the £28,931,400 published under “Inquiry staffing, including secretariat”.
The Inquiry publishes a quarterly breakdown of its costs on its website: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/about-the-inquiry/#costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Undercover Policing Inquiry will be brought to an end before it has heard from all eligible participants.
The Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry in 2015 to inquire into and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England and Wales since 1968. The Inquiry’s investigations continue and hearings for Tranche 3 are ongoing. This tranche covers the activities of the Special Demonstration Squad during the years 1967 to 2007. Further details on the progress of the Inquiry can be found at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/.
On 16 July 2026, the Government launched a public consultation on the future of the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Responses can be submitted up to 23:59 on Sunday 20th September, and further information about the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-the-undercover-policing-inquiry/consultation-on-the-future-of-the-undercover-policing-inquiry.
The purpose of the consultation is to gather views on the future of the Inquiry from those affected including core participants, stakeholders and the wider public. No decisions have been taken about the future of the Inquiry.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide an update as to the current status of the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
The Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry in 2015 to inquire into and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England and Wales since 1968. The Inquiry’s investigations continue and hearings for Tranche 3 are ongoing. This tranche covers the activities of the Special Demonstration Squad during the years 1967 to 2007. Further details on the progress of the Inquiry can be found at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/.
On 16 July 2026, the Government launched a public consultation on the future of the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Responses can be submitted up to 23:59 on Sunday 20th September, and further information about the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-the-undercover-policing-inquiry/consultation-on-the-future-of-the-undercover-policing-inquiry.
The purpose of the consultation is to gather views on the future of the Inquiry from those affected including core participants, stakeholders and the wider public. No decisions have been taken about the future of the Inquiry.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of staff are currently employed by the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
i) The Undercover Policing Inquiry employs 36 civil servants. An additional 99 staff are contracted or sourced through a managed services contract to provide other services, such as legal support.
ii) The Inquiry’s first interim report was published in June 2023. This covered the Inquiry’s Tranche One investigations of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1968 and 1982 and did not make any recommendations. The next interim report is due in Autumn 2027 and will not make any recommendations.
iii) The Government has considered whether there are any direct or indirect discrimination issues arising as a result of holding a consultation and has sought to ensure that the consultation is accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. In addition to responding through an online survey, individuals may submit responses by email. Following the conclusion of the consultation period, any decisions taken on the direction of the inquiry will aim to take account of an assessment of their impact on equality.
iv) The Inquiry’s full costs are published on its website, and these are updated periodically as further costs are incurred: Undercover Policing Inquiry – Costs. As of the end of March 2026, its total expenditure was £137,067,000. For each financial year from the establishment of the Inquiry, these costs are broken down as follows:
<tbody>
Financial year
Spend (£)
15/16
1,579,436
16/17
4,387,420
17/18
4,454,044
18/19
6,828,000
19/20
10,005,200
20/21
12,221,400
21/22
11,156,100
22/23
13,566,500
23/24
18,152,700
24/25
27,633,200
25/26
27,083,000
</tbody>
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the annual operating cost of the Undercover Policing Inquiry in each financial year since its establishment.
i) The Undercover Policing Inquiry employs 36 civil servants. An additional 99 staff are contracted or sourced through a managed services contract to provide other services, such as legal support.
ii) The Inquiry’s first interim report was published in June 2023. This covered the Inquiry’s Tranche One investigations of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1968 and 1982 and did not make any recommendations. The next interim report is due in Autumn 2027 and will not make any recommendations.
iii) The Government has considered whether there are any direct or indirect discrimination issues arising as a result of holding a consultation and has sought to ensure that the consultation is accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. In addition to responding through an online survey, individuals may submit responses by email. Following the conclusion of the consultation period, any decisions taken on the direction of the inquiry will aim to take account of an assessment of their impact on equality.
iv) The Inquiry’s full costs are published on its website, and these are updated periodically as further costs are incurred: Undercover Policing Inquiry – Costs. As of the end of March 2026, its total expenditure was £137,067,000. For each financial year from the establishment of the Inquiry, these costs are broken down as follows:
<tbody>
Financial year
Spend (£)
15/16
1,579,436
16/17
4,387,420
17/18
4,454,044
18/19
6,828,000
19/20
10,005,200
20/21
12,221,400
21/22
11,156,100
22/23
13,566,500
23/24
18,152,700
24/25
27,633,200
25/26
27,083,000
</tbody>
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has undertaken an equality impact assessment in relation to proposals concerning the future of the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
i) The Undercover Policing Inquiry employs 36 civil servants. An additional 99 staff are contracted or sourced through a managed services contract to provide other services, such as legal support.
ii) The Inquiry’s first interim report was published in June 2023. This covered the Inquiry’s Tranche One investigations of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1968 and 1982 and did not make any recommendations. The next interim report is due in Autumn 2027 and will not make any recommendations.
iii) The Government has considered whether there are any direct or indirect discrimination issues arising as a result of holding a consultation and has sought to ensure that the consultation is accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. In addition to responding through an online survey, individuals may submit responses by email. Following the conclusion of the consultation period, any decisions taken on the direction of the inquiry will aim to take account of an assessment of their impact on equality.
iv) The Inquiry’s full costs are published on its website, and these are updated periodically as further costs are incurred: Undercover Policing Inquiry – Costs. As of the end of March 2026, its total expenditure was £137,067,000. For each financial year from the establishment of the Inquiry, these costs are broken down as follows:
<tbody>
Financial year
Spend (£)
15/16
1,579,436
16/17
4,387,420
17/18
4,454,044
18/19
6,828,000
19/20
10,005,200
20/21
12,221,400
21/22
11,156,100
22/23
13,566,500
23/24
18,152,700
24/25
27,633,200
25/26
27,083,000
</tbody>
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in implementing recommendations arising from the Undercover Policing Inquiry's interim reports.
i) The Undercover Policing Inquiry employs 36 civil servants. An additional 99 staff are contracted or sourced through a managed services contract to provide other services, such as legal support.
ii) The Inquiry’s first interim report was published in June 2023. This covered the Inquiry’s Tranche One investigations of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1968 and 1982 and did not make any recommendations. The next interim report is due in Autumn 2027 and will not make any recommendations.
iii) The Government has considered whether there are any direct or indirect discrimination issues arising as a result of holding a consultation and has sought to ensure that the consultation is accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. In addition to responding through an online survey, individuals may submit responses by email. Following the conclusion of the consultation period, any decisions taken on the direction of the inquiry will aim to take account of an assessment of their impact on equality.
iv) The Inquiry’s full costs are published on its website, and these are updated periodically as further costs are incurred: Undercover Policing Inquiry – Costs. As of the end of March 2026, its total expenditure was £137,067,000. For each financial year from the establishment of the Inquiry, these costs are broken down as follows:
<tbody>
Financial year
Spend (£)
15/16
1,579,436
16/17
4,387,420
17/18
4,454,044
18/19
6,828,000
19/20
10,005,200
20/21
12,221,400
21/22
11,156,100
22/23
13,566,500
23/24
18,152,700
24/25
27,633,200
25/26
27,083,000
</tbody>
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the list of 1,192 affiliated and organisational groups mentioned in Special Demonstration Squad documentation, which was collated by the Metropolitan Police Service Inquiry and Revie
The Inquiry is independent of the Home Office, and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness. It would not, therefore, be appropriate for the Government to comment on or intervene in the Inquiry’s decision-making.The Inquiry is responsible for deci...
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they intend to make for members of the House of Lords named as having MI5 files in the course of the Undercover Policing Inquiry to see those files.
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office, and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness.Disclosure is a matter for the Inquiry. Safeguarding the independence of the Inquiry is of paramount importance and it would not genera...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of appointing panel members with expertise in (a) institutional racism, (b) sexism, (C) class bias and (d) the other relevant issues in the Underco
The issue was carefully considered in 2018 and it was decided that panel members would not be appointed at that time. A judicial review of the decision was subsequently refused. Sir John Mitting is an experienced High Court Judge and has the necessary exp...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of not funding the legal costs for participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and decisions regarding funding for Core Participants are for the Inquiry to make.Under section 40 of the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry Chair has the power to award reasonable amounts to ...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of not providing live audio and video streaming of the Undercover Policing Inquiry on the ability of the (a) public and (b) core participants to e
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and so, decisions on the conduct of its investigations and hearings are for the Inquiry to make.The Inquiry has sought the views of Core Participants and relevant parties on how it should c...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of instructing the police and security services to make available to their unredacted registry files to the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
The police and Security Service are operationally independent from the Home Office and decisions concerning their engagement with the Undercover Policing Inquiry are a matter for them. It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on or inter...
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) political, and (2) campaigning, organisations have been (a) monitored, and (b) infiltrated, by police, or at the direction of police, since 1991.
Part 2 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act provides the police with the power to authorise surveillance and covert human intelligence sources where it is necessary for one of the statutory purposes (i.e. the prevention and detection of crime) an...
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) political, and (2) campaigning, organisations have been (a) monitored, and (b) infiltrated, by police, or at the direction of police, since 1991.
Part 2 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act provides the police with the power to authorise surveillance and covert human intelligence sources where it is necessary for one of the statutory purposes (i.e. the prevention and detection of crime) an...
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Undercover Policing Inquiry to make its final report; what has been the cost of that inquiry to date; and what the final cost of that inquiry is expected to be.
The Undercover Policing Inquiry was established in 2015, to investigate undercover deployments conducted by police forces in England and Wales since 1968 and was expected to report within three years.In May 2018, the Undercover Policing Inquiry published ...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information his Department holds on covert police (a) surveillance and (b) infiltration of the Newham Monitoring Project.
In 2015 the Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry to investigate and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England since 1968. The Home Office is a core participant in the Inquiry and is i...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which periods police surveillance or infiltration of the Newham Monitoring Project took place.
In 2015 the Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry to investigate and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England since 1968. The Home Office is a core participant in the Inquiry and is i...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish all police files directly relating to the surveillance or infiltration of the Newham Monitoring Project.
In 2015 the Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry to investigate and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England since 1968. The Home Office is a core participant in the Inquiry and is i...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have engaged in surveillance or infiltration of the Newham Monitoring Project over the lifetime of such activities.
In 2015 the Home Office established the Undercover Policing Inquiry to investigate and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England since 1968. The Home Office is a core participant in the Inquiry and is i...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Strategic Review of the Undercover Policing Inquiry, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of appointing a panel of advisers prior to the commencement of Module 1 h
Prior to the publication of the Strategic Review by Sir John Mitting on 10 May 2018, consideration was given to the appointment of panel members to the Undercover Policing Inquiry. A decision was taken by the previous Home Secretary to continue with a sin...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Strategic Review into the Undercover Policing Inquiry, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of appointing panel members to assist the Chairman prior to the commenc
Prior to the publication of the Strategic Review by Sir John Mitting on 10 May 2018, consideration was given to the appointment of panel members to the Undercover Policing Inquiry. A decision was taken by the previous Home Secretary to continue with a sin...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received reports of disciplinary action initiated against Special Branch officers communicating with organisations or individuals that blacklisted construction workers.
Investigations, including those into allegations of police wrongdoing and any decisions in relation to the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, are operational matters for police forces and are carried out independently of Government. The Government is n...