Member

While prosecutors must have what they need to make sound decisions, police leaders believe that a more proportionate approach would allow officers to submit skeletal pre-charge files containing only the essential evidence in straightforward cases. Additionally, to stream- line disclosure they have suggested a secure data bubble, as outlined by the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Rolfe, allowing unredacted material to be shared confidentially between the police and the CPS for charging purposes. A modest, targeted change to the Data Protection Act or UK GDPR would make that possible. What is now required is not yet another review but the political will to better align the police and the CPS, freeing officers to focus on fighting crime rather than filling in forms.