A review of the role of Police and Crime Commissioners

The Home Secretary has announced a review of the role of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). The review will take place in two stages. The first stage will take place over summer and will look at ways to improve the accountability and raise standards of PCCs. The second stage will take place after the PCC elections in May 2021 and will look at further powers for PCCs to better fight crime in their areas.

The review will not look at scrapping the role of PCCs, nor will it examine the 43 force model in England and Wales.

Source: Gov.uk

Information Commissioner’s Office Statement on Regulation During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Information Commissioner’s office (ICO) has published a statement setting out their regulatory approach during the coronavirus pandemic.

The statement sets out the commitment of the ICO to assist individuals and organisations to ensure data protection laws are upheld and stopping those exploiting the pandemic by misusing personal information.

The statement can be read in full here.

Source: Information Commissioner’s Office

Low numbers of ‘at risk’ children attending school

A report by BBC Newsnight has revealed that in some areas only a quarter of ‘at risk’ children who have been allocated school places during the coronavirus crisis are attending school. In some areas of the UK, Newsnight reveals that this figure is below 10%.

The low numbers are worrying for police as these children are more vulnerable to abuse when at home.

Source: BBC News

Counting rules for recorded crime

The Home Office has published updated guidance for a number of Counting Rules. The Home Office Counting Rules provide a national standard for recording crime and counting of ‘notifiable’ offences recorded by police forces. The guidance advises police forces about what offences are contained in each category to ensure consistent and accurate crime recording.

The updated guidance can be read in full here.

Source: Gov.uk

Funding for 101 calls

The Home Office have announced funding to enable 101 calls to be free for members of the public starting from today. Up to this point calling 101 has incurred a 15p charge for members of the public. Until the 1st July, there remains a chance that users of small operators will be charged for using the service.

Source: Gov.uk

Data protection and coronavirus information hub

The Information Commissioner’s Office has created a data protection and coronavirus information hub to help individuals and organisations during the coronavirus pandemic. The hub contains advise on a range of topics such as the use of mobile phone tracking data and the use of personal data by Government and other organisations.

Source: ico.org.uk

EU Justice Sub-Committee: summary of legacy issues, March 2020

The EU Justice Sub-Committee have summarised what its members believe to be legacy issues before the Committee formally ceases to exist as part of a restructure. The topics included are:

• Citizens’ rights
• Criminal justice cooperation
• Consumer protection
• Civil justice cooperation
• Intellectual property

The summary can be read in full here.

Source: Parliament.uk

The Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 were laid before Parliament on 27th March 2020 and are now in force. The regulations were made to allow workers to carry over annual leave into the following leave year for a maximum of two years where workers were unable to take this leave as a result of the effect of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Source: legislation.gov.uk

Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) Interim Guidance

The Home Office had published interim guidance for those who are or considering establishing Violence Reduction Units (VRUs). The guidance outlines the principles of VRUs and contains questions that should be considered when setting one up, giving case studies of VRUs that have been given Home Office funding.

The interim guidance can be read in full here.

Source: Gov.uk

UK government modern slavery statement

The UK Government has published its Modern Slavery Statement which sets out the government’s efforts to tackle modern slavery in supply chains. The report details how in 2019 the government took steps to identify, prevent and mitigate modern slavery in government supply chains and operations culminating in guidance for ministerial government departments being published in September 2019.

The report states that all ministerial government departments will begin the annual publication of their own modern slavery statements from September 2021.

The report can be read in full here.

Source: Gov.uk