Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of data sharing and record keeping for cross border policing between West Mercia Police and West Midlands Police.

The sharing of operational information between police forces is a matter for chief constables, who are responsible for ensuring that information is recorded and shared in accordance with operational requirements and legal obligations.

The Government recognises the importance of effective data sharing across policing and the wider criminal justice system. The Government's White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, sets out plans to strengthen police data capabilities, including through the introduction of national data standards and improved arrangements for sharing information across force boundaries.

This includes the development of the National Data Integration and Exploitation Service (NDIES), which is intended to support more consistent and effective sharing of policing data nationally and improve officers’ access to the information they need to prevent and investigate crime and protect the public.