Draft Forensic Science Regulator Draft Code of Practice 2025 (VERSION 2)

Harriet Cross Excerpts

Monday 28th April 2025 General Committees

[Harriet Cross (Gordon and Buchan) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond.

I welcome the measures put forward by the Government. The changes are necessary to ensure that standards are upheld while allowing for streamlined updates to the process. The 2011 Act was a necessary step in providing a statutory footing for the regulator, following the recommendations of several separate reviews and reports that advocated that. It is important to ensure that the code corresponds with the reality experienced by forensic science providers, which means making alterations and recognising the need to support some of the changes outlined in the draft code. For example, the change highlighted by the Government—to avoid duplicating procedures relating to the quality-management systems operated by provider organisations—appears to be a proportionate and appropriate alteration. No longer requiring individual assessments or accreditation for each department is a step that should be widely supported.

The changes in the draft code are significant, which is why it is important that the Government have listened to a range of stakeholders. There is no point in pretending that I or the Minister are well versed in the day-to-day experiences of forensic science providers. The long-running consultation launched by the previous Government, and subsequent targeted consultations, appear to have reflected the voices of those in the field. Moving forward, we must ensure that the regulatory burden is appropriately set. The enabling legislation is clear in its requirement that the regulator should keep the code under review.

Will the Minister outline whether there have been discussions with the regulator about assessing the changes, including whether cost avoidance occurs in practice? Will she clarify whether she is confident that the transitional period up to 30 October will be sufficient to accommodate the changes for micro and small businesses? As I stated at the start of my speech, the Opposition welcome the measures.