Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on the CONNECT computer software since its introduction by the Metropolitan Police on (a) further development of the software, (b) training including (i) accommodation, (ii) travel, (iii) classrooms, (iv) trainers and (v)overtime incurred by officers), (c) internal IT services to resolve CONNECT issues including ConnectHub, (d) shifts covered by officers to support staff with CONNECT, (e) initial purchase fees and installation, (f) other costs and (g) in total.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time spent by people in custody in police holding cells was in the two years (a) before and (b) after the introduction of the CONNECT software; and how many people have been detained in police holding cells by each police force for (i) 0 to 12 hours, (ii) 13 to 24 hours, (iii) 25 to 36 hours, (iv) 37 to 48 hours and (v) 49 hours or more since January 2019.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time it takes an officer to complete a case file is on (a) CONNECT and (b) Case Overview and Prosecutions Application (COPA).

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces purchased CONNECT computer software; and how many such forces (a) no longer and (b) continue to use the software.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average annual number is of case files rejected due to incorrectly submitted documents using (a) Case Overview and Prosecutions Application (COPA) and (b) CONNECT computer software.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of case file (a) rejections and (b) discontinuations by the Crown Prosecution Service was (i) before and (ii) after the introduction of the CONNECT computer software.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces and Policing and Crime Commissioners are responsible for their procurement and commercial strategies for Records Management Systems.

Each force is responsible for evaluating the performance of their Record Management System in line with those strategies and their local requirements.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on the individual performance of one supplier in relation to the factors mentioned.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of open custody records was in (a) 2019, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested is not currently held centrally.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions in police custody in England and Wales, available here: Police powers and procedures England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK.

This data includes the number of detentions by financial year, with the most recently available data up to March 2023. Data for the year ending March 2024 will be available in February 2025.

Found: protection, child abuse and exploitation”.25 Responding for the opposition, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp

Found: protection, child abuse and exploitation”.25 Responding for the opposition, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp