Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Home Office

This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring women and girls feel safe going about their everyday lives.We are carefully considering the Inquiry’s Part 2 First Report’s recommendations and will respond as soon as possible.

Answering body: Home Office

The Inquiry recently published its costs on its website, indicating that total expenditure to the end of March 2026 was £11,058,773. The Inquiry updates its website periodically as further costs are incurred. Further information is available on the Inquiry’s website Costs and Other Information – The Angiolini Inquiry

Answering body: Home Office

The Government actively supports the aims of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and College of Policing’s ‘National policing culture and inclusion strategy’ which aims to tackle discrimination within policing, as well as the Police Race Action Plan, which aims to address confidence in policing among black communities.

The Angiolini Inquiry is also examining a range of issues relating to processes and cultures in policing so that the public can have confidence that the police are there to protect them, and we will carefully consider any recommendations it makes.

Answering body: Home Office

On 7 February 2023 the Government published the Terms of Reference for Part 3 of the Angiolini Inquiry.

Part 3 of the Inquiry was commissioned to examine the career and conduct of former Metropolitan Police Officer David Carrick, following his conviction for multiple sexual offences in January 2023. He was subsequently convicted of further sexual offences in November 2025.

Following a request from the Chair of the Inquiry, Lady Elish Angiolini, the Home Secretary has agreed to make some amendments to the Terms of Reference for Part 3. The result of these amendments is that the Inquiry will now be able to consider evidence related to allegations of criminal behaviour prior to and during David Carrick’s policing career. The amendments also make explicit reference to psychological and/or psychiatric reports written about David Carrick as material which the Inquiry may consider.

The Chair’s intention with these amendments is to better understand the potential drivers and motivation for Carrick’s offending, with a view to assisting police forces in understanding how to better identify and disrupt perpetrators of these horrific crimes during the recruitment and vetting stages and ensure those unfit to serve have no place in policing.

The Angiolini Inquiry was launched in January 2022 following the horrific murder of Sarah Everard by a then-serving Metropolitan Police officer; the report for Part 1 was published on 29 February 2024. Part 2 of the Inquiry, examining broader issues in policing such as vetting, recruitment, and culture, commenced on 11 May 2023 and is currently ongoing, with a report on the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public published on 2 December 2025.

A copy of the amended Terms of Reference for Part 3 of the Inquiry will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Answering body: Home Office

This Department supports the police and is clear that public confidence is crucial to our model of policing by consent. We hold our police to the highest of standards and expect action to be taken where this confidence is undermined. There are a number of measures in place to help ensure this.

The Home Secretary has powers to direct targeted inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) where there are specific concerns. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) oversees the police complaints system under which the public can raise concerns directly with the Professional Standards Department in their local police force or via the IOPC. The most serious and sensitive matters, including deaths or serious injuries involving the police, must be sent immediately by forces to the IOPC and the IOPC determines if it is necessary for such matters to be independently investigated. The IOPC, which has a statutory duty to maintain public confidence in the system, also has powers to “call in” a referral or to investigate such matters that have come to its attention on its own initiative, without waiting for a referral.

We set out plans for policing reform in the recent White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing” on 26 January, including reforms to increase accountability and standards.

Finally, the independent Angiolini Inquiry is currently examining a range of issues in policing such as vetting, recruitment and culture in policing and the Home Office will carefully consider its findings when available.

Answering body: Home Office

I will be updating the House about this report via an oral statement later today.

Answering body: Home Office

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government with a manifesto mission to halve VAWG in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach to halving VAWG, underpinned by a new VAWG strategy, which we aim to publish as soon as possible.

The Home Office has invested £13.1 million this year to establish the new National Policing Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) to improve the police response to VAWG and child sexual abuse. The NCVPP is continuing to drive forward the transformational work of Operation Soteria ensuring officers build the strongest possible, victim-centred, suspect-focused, context-led cases.

The Home Office works closely with police forces on improving the quality of police recorded crime data, including for crimes under the VAWG heading, as well as drawing on data from the Crime Survey for England & Wales (CSEW).

The Home Office are also carefully considering the findings and recommendations from the Angiolini Inquiry's Part 2 First Report which has examined the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces.

Answering body: Home Office

Police officers and staff have protections under ‘whistleblowing’ law, meaning they are protected from being unfairly dismissed or from suffering any detriment due to having made a protected disclosure. The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 expressly reflect this.

Further, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is a prescribed body to whom police whistleblowers can make protected disclosures, runs a dedicated reporting line for police officers and staff.

The College of Policing’s Code of Practice for Ethical Policing puts a duty on Chief Officers to facilitate and protect whistleblowers. Many police forces provide a confidential, internal reporting system to encourage reporting of concerns.

Part 2 of the Angiolini Inquiry is considering a range of cultural issues in policing, including whistleblowing processes, and the Government will consider any recommendations it makes carefully.

Answering body: Home Office

The Home Secretary and I have regular meetings with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and other police leaders on a range of issues including police conduct.

Police officers have a statutory duty to report wrongdoing by their colleagues when they see it, and the College of Policing’s Code of Practice for Ethical Policing puts a duty on Chief Officers to facilitate and protect whistleblowers. The Metropolitan Police Service has a specialist unit to handle any concerns raised by “whistleblowers” with provision to come forward anonymously and to provide additional support to those who are accorded “whistleblower status” over and above their protections in wider employment and whistleblowing law. In addition, the Independent Office for Police Conduct runs a dedicated telephone line for police officers and staff.

Part 2 of the Angiolini Inquiry is also considering a range of cultural issues in policing, including whistleblowing processes, and the Government will consider any recommendations it makes carefully.

Answering body: Home Office

The framework for police vetting, which applies to the existing workforce as well as new recruits, is currently set by the College of Policing via its statutory code of practice on vetting and authorised professional practice (APP) guidance on vetting.

The vetting APP, which is reviewed on an ongoing basis, was last updated in March 2021. The College plans to publish a revised version this year following a public consultation in January and having considered recommendations from part 1 of the Angiolini Inquiry.

The government has committed to strengthening police vetting and will be bringing forward statutory measures to do so in due course.

Answering body: Home Office

a) Honourable Society

These costs were incurred for the procurement of a venue for publication day launch of the Angiolini Inquiry Part 1 report.

b) Cinnamon Club

These costs were incurred for the Permanent Secretary’s hosting of US Department of Justice officials in the UK, as part of the HO-DoJ Strategic Dialogue.

c) Fletcher Gallery Services

These costs (none overseas) were incurred for the purchase of departmental furnishings.

d) Cloveride

These costs were incurred for the hire of two chauffeured vehicles for the Home Secretary’s official visit to New York in February 2024.

Answering body: Home Office

a) Honourable Society

These costs were incurred for the procurement of a venue for publication day launch of the Angiolini Inquiry Part 1 report.

b) Cinnamon Club

These costs were incurred for the Permanent Secretary’s hosting of US Department of Justice officials in the UK, as part of the HO-DoJ Strategic Dialogue.

c) Fletcher Gallery Services

These costs (none overseas) were incurred for the purchase of departmental furnishings.

d) Cloveride

These costs were incurred for the hire of two chauffeured vehicles for the Home Secretary’s official visit to New York in February 2024.

Answering body: Home Office

a) Honourable Society

These costs were incurred for the procurement of a venue for publication day launch of the Angiolini Inquiry Part 1 report.

b) Cinnamon Club

These costs were incurred for the Permanent Secretary’s hosting of US Department of Justice officials in the UK, as part of the HO-DoJ Strategic Dialogue.

c) Fletcher Gallery Services

These costs (none overseas) were incurred for the purchase of departmental furnishings.

d) Cloveride

These costs were incurred for the hire of two chauffeured vehicles for the Home Secretary’s official visit to New York in February 2024.

Answering body: Home Office

a) Honourable Society

These costs were incurred for the procurement of a venue for publication day launch of the Angiolini Inquiry Part 1 report.

b) Cinnamon Club

These costs were incurred for the Permanent Secretary’s hosting of US Department of Justice officials in the UK, as part of the HO-DoJ Strategic Dialogue.

c) Fletcher Gallery Services

These costs (none overseas) were incurred for the purchase of departmental furnishings.

d) Cloveride

These costs were incurred for the hire of two chauffeured vehicles for the Home Secretary’s official visit to New York in February 2024.

Answering body: Home Office

On 29 February 2024, a report on Part 1 of the independent Angiolini Inquiry was published. The Inquiry was established following the horrific murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 by then-serving Metropolitan Police Service officer Wayne Couzens.

On the same day, I gave a statement to the House to acknowledge the Inquiry’s findings.

Part 1 examined the previous career and conduct of Couzens and found a number of red flags and missed opportunities. Based on these findings, the Chair made a total of 16 recommendations, summarily to improve the policing response to sexual offences, such as indecent exposure, to strengthen police recruitment and vetting practices, and to address toxic police cultures.

Today I can confirm acceptance of all three of the recommendations made to the Government, which the Home Office will now work to deliver at pace. These recommendations are that the Home Office, in collaboration with partners, should conduct a fundamental review of the way masturbatory indecent exposure is treated within the criminal justice system; commission research to establish if there is an evidence-based link between masturbatory indecent exposure and subsequent offending; and launch a campaign to raise awareness that indecent exposure and sending unsolicited photographs of genitals amounts to criminality and boost victims’ confidence to report such crimes.

Further recommendations on police vetting, recruitment and culture were made directly to police forces, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing, who have also today accepted all recommendations made to policing. I will work closely with policing to ensure that they drive this work forward promptly.

Tackling violence against women and girls is one of my top priorities. I am confident that our strong partnership and shared commitment with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing will lead to concerted, swift action.

I will provide a further update to Parliament on progress made in implementing the recommendations before Summer recess.

I am grateful to Lady Elish and her team for their crucial and continued work, which will ensure that policing continues to make improvements necessary to rebuild the confidence of everyone they serve. I await the Inquiry’s further findings from Part 2, which is examining broader national issues such as vetting, recruitment and culture, as well as the safety of women in public spaces.

Answering body: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

The Independent Pornography Review will involve a comprehensive assessment of the impact of pornography on viewers and wider society, including the impact of violent and extreme pornography, identifying any links to violence against women and girls. It will also review how effective current legislation, regulation, and law enforcement are in tackling extreme pornographic content. The review is being led by an independent lead reviewer, Baroness Gabby Bertin, who oversees the delivery of the review and the final report and recommendations. The independent review’s Terms of Reference state that it aims to conclude by Summer 2024.

Answering body: Home Office

The Government has been clear that police officers must be held to the highest standards and that this is vital to public trust.

The Home Office established the Angiolini Inquiry following the horrific murder of Sarah Everard, to identify lessons for policing so that the public can have confidence that the police are there to protect them. Part 1 of the Inquiry is due to report in early 2024. In May this year the Home Secretary commissioned Part 2 of the Inquiry to consider broader issues in policing, such as vetting, recruitment and culture, as well as the safety of women in public spaces. The terms of reference for Part 2 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/angiolini-inquiry-part-2-terms-of-reference.

The Home Office has recently announced measures to strengthen the police dismissals system, to ensure processes are effective at removing those not fit to serve. The review’s full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-officer-dismissals-home-office-review. The Home Secretary also asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory code of practice for police vetting, which was published in July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-vetting-code-of-practice.

Answering body: Home Office

The Government has been clear that police officers must be held to the highest standards and that those who commit acts such as domestic and sexual abuse must be rooted out.

By law, allegations of serious assaults, serious sexual offences or abuse of position by police officers must be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for consideration.

The Government is currently carrying out a review into the process of police officer dismissals which, among other areas, is investigating the consistency of decision making in cases of police-perpetrated violence against women and girls (VAWG). Part 2 of the Angiolini Inquiry will also examine issues in policing such as vetting and recruitment practices and police culture, and the safety of women.

All forces are also currently checking officers and staff against the Police National Database so that they can take action on any intelligence or allegations that require further investigation.

Answering body: Home Office

Recent reports from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and significant high-profile incidents of police criminality and misconduct, such as the horrific crimes of David Carrick, have rightly raised concerns regarding police standards and culture.

In January, the Home Secretary announced a series of actions being undertaken by the Home Office and the police to ensure that police vetting is fit for purpose, that officers who fall short of the standards expected of them are identified and dealt with appropriately, and that concerns around policing cultures are being addressed to rebuild public confidence.

On Monday 27 February I convened a roundtable with senior leaders from across the policing sector to review progress on these commitments and to ensure that activity is being co-ordinated to drive up police standards and improve culture.

In relation to police vetting, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire & Rescue Services to undertake a rapid review of progress being made against the 43 recommendations in their 2 November 2022 assessment of police vetting and counter-corruption capability. The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) are co-ordinating the forces’ responses to the Inspectorate’s report and, at the roundtable, reported significant progress in implementing a suite of changes to ensure that police vetting is more robust and consistent. HMICFRS will publish its rapid review in April.

In addition, the Home Secretary asked the College of Policing to refresh its statutory vetting code of practice to strengthen legal obligations on Chief Officers and provide clarity to forces across England and Wales. The College has published the revised statutory code yesterday for a three-week public consultation (available on the College of Policing’s website). Following consideration of that feedback and Home Secretary approval, the revised Code will be in force by the summer. I also welcome the work being undertaken by the College of Policing to overhaul the police Code of Ethics which is expected to be published for public consultation next month.

Across police forces, significant activity is underway to identify individuals who fall short of the high standards the public expect of them and to deal with those individuals appropriately. This includes the work being co-ordinated by the NPCC, under the leadership of Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, to check all police officers and staff against the Police National Database (PND) to ensure that no actionable intelligence in relation to potential police misconduct or criminality has been missed.

As of this date, all force HR records have been prepared for the datawash which will conclude by the end of March, cross-checking over 326,000 officers and staff against relevant PND records. Forces will then interrogate this data and take action to investigate where necessary.

Where officers are found to have potentially breached standards of professional behaviour, it is of vital importance that those who are not fit to serve the public are swiftly dismissed. On 18 January, the Home Office launched a review of the effectiveness of the police dismissal process to determine how improvements can be made. The call for evidence has now ended and the Home Office have received submissions from a wide range of stakeholders. These will now be analysed, with the output from a new data collection, to inform proposals for change. This work will be complete by the end of April and the Government is committed to implementing reforms, including via legislation, as soon as practicable thereafter.

Alongside this, it is essential for public confidence in policing that we have an effective independent process for investigating the most serious complaints about the police. That is why, I am announcing today the start of an independent review of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) led by Dr. Gillian Fairfield (Chair of the Disclosure and Barring Service), whom the Home Secretary has charged with considering the IOPC’s effectiveness, efficiency, governance and accountability. The review’s remit is tightly defined to avoid infringing upon or impacting ongoing investigations, which are rightly independent from government, the police and complainants. A summary of the review’s terms of reference will be published on GOV.UK and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Dr Fairfield has been asked to submit her final report and recommendations for internal review in Autumn 2023. I shall inform the House of the outcome of the Review at its conclusion and a summary of its key findings will subsequently be published.

As well as driving up standards in police vetting and dealing with misconduct, the Home Secretary has been clear that policing needs to address the root causes of poor, and in some cases toxic, cultures. This will be a key focus of Part 2 of the independent Angiolini Inquiry that was established in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard to understand how a serving police officer was able to carry out such a horrendous crime. Part 2, which will look at broader issues for policing, will start later this spring, following a public consultation on the Terms of Reference that ended last week. The Inquiry will also look at the appalling case of David Carrick, in terms of reference published on 7 February 2023.

The Government and our policing partners are determined to deliver on these commitments to help rebuild confidence and trust in policing. This is what the public expect and the decent, hard-working majority of officers deserve. I will update the National Policing Board, chaired by the Home Secretary, on the 8 March on progress and provide the House with updates in due course.

Answering body: Home Office

It is crucial that the public have trust and confidence in the police and expect them to fight crime, keep us safe and carry out their duties to the highest professional standards

In the wake of the shocking murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, the Government established the Angiolini Inquiry. The draft terms of reference for Part 2 were published on 18 January and a formal consultation was launched on 27 January. This part of the Inquiry will include an examination of vetting and recruitment processes to identify those not fit to serve, as well as investigate the extent to which misogyny and predatory behaviour exist in police culture

The Government has recently asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory code of practice for vetting, making the obligations all forces must legally follow stricter and clearer

In addition, on 17 January the Home Secretary launched a review into the process of police officer dismissals, ensuring that the system is fair and effective at removing those officers who are not fit to serve. The Terms of Reference for this review have now been published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-officer-dismissals-review-terms-of-reference

Answering body: Home Office

The Government remains determined to tackle misogyny in the police. That is why His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was tasked with reviewing vetting and counter-corruption arrangements in policing across England and Wales looking in particular at what forces are doing to identify and deal with misogynistic behaviour.

The inspectorate’s findings were published on 2 November and whilst we welcome the report’s conclusion that culture is improving, the findings about adverse attitudes towards women are unacceptable and we expect all forces to take action in response as a matter of urgency.

We also expect the second part of the Angiolini Inquiry to further examine some of the issues raised by the inspectorate related to policing and the safety of women.

Answering body: Home Office

I today lay before the House of Commons a Departmental Minute giving notice of a contingent liability for the issuing of an indemnity with respect to the work of the Angiolini Inquiry.

The proposed indemnity will cover Dame Elish Angiolini as Chair of the Angiolini Inquiry, current and former members of the Angiolini Inquiry and any individual engaged at any time to aid the Inquiry, against any legal costs, personal civil liability, actions, or damages related to the execution of their duties, or for any act done or omission made in good faith in the execution of their duties, including in relation to any Inquiry report/s or other published document/s.

This indemnity applies only to acts done or omissions made honestly and in good faith during the course of the Inquiry, from its establishment on 31 January 2022 until the final reports are published by the Home Secretary and all of the closure work of the Inquiry is concluded. The indemnity excludes personal criminal liability, negligence or reckless acts.

The indemnity is subject to the proviso that any liability which is to any extent met by insurers on the beneficiary of this indemnity, or for which reimbursement is made to any extent by such insurers, shall in that event and to that extent no longer be the subject of the indemnity and (if previously met or reimbursed by the Government) shall to that extent be refunded by the beneficiary to the Government.

Her Majesty’s Treasury has approved the contingent liability in principle. The National Audit Office has been consulted on the proposal.