Member

On Amendment 401, the Government agree with the importance of updating police IT and intelligence systems to deliver the integrated and efficient tools required in a modern environment to protect victims and support effective policing. We acknowledge the long-recognised and frustrating problems of fragmented and outdated data infrastructure in policing and the criminal justice system. However, it is important to recognise what is already in place and that Parliament plays a robust role in oversight. Committees in both Houses examine police technology programmes, and HMICFRS reports annually on progress and failures in policing infrastructure. These mechanisms ensure transparency and accountability. While I agree wholeheartedly with noble Lords on the need for decisive action to improve IT and intelligence systems, we cannot fix productivity or case timeliness without fixing the digital infrastructure that lies beneath it. The White Paper sets out a comprehensive vision for transforming policing, including on technology and data.