Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve collaboration and information-sharing between public bodies including (a) NHS bodies, (b) police services and (c) local authorities in the response to attacks involving corrosive substances.

We recognise we require a range of partners to work together to tackle the use of acid and other corrosives in violent attacks, including police, health, local authorities, retailers and the voluntary sector. Our joint event on 4 July with the National Police Chiefs’ Council brought together a number of these partners to better understand the nature of attacks and agree what further action can be taken to prevent such attacks. The action plan has a range of actions including better data sharing between police and other partners such as health.