Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance the Home Office has issued to police forces in Wales about securing witness statements with minimal delay after incidents involving loss of life.

Guidance about securing witness statements is provided to police forces in England and Wales via the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) designed by the College of Policing and The Ministry of Justice; Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings: Guidance on Interviewing Victims and Witnesses, and Guidance on Using Special Measures.

The APP clearly states the person taking a crime report will need to carry out investigative actions to establish what has happened, what further police actions might be necessary and the urgency for those actions. This includes the identification of witnesses to secure any immediate evidence or statements that might otherwise be lost.