Corporate report

Independent Review of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC): Summary of terms of reference

Updated 21 March 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Background

1.    The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for overseeing the police complaints system in England and Wales. It investigates the most serious matters and allegations against the police and other law enforcement bodies, including deaths and serious injuries following police contact, and sets the standards by which the police should handle complaints. It also carries out reviews of complaints investigated by the police and has powers to make learning recommendations and issue statutory guidance. It is operationally independent of the Government and the police.

2.    The IOPC is established under the Police Reform Act 2002 as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2017. It is sponsored by the Home Office. This review forms part of the Government’s central Public Bodies Review Programme.

Purpose

3.    The central purpose of the review is to consider the IOPC’s governance, accountability, efficacy and efficiency and make recommendations to Ministers to inform decisions on future delivery arrangements and efficiency savings.

Scope

4.    In addressing governance, the review will consider amongst others:

• whether arrangements and structures for governance, risk management and internal control are effective

• the organisation’s purpose, leadership and effectiveness

• whether the governance arrangements support the organisation’s ability to drive the delivery of wider government objective

• whether appropriate and suitable processes are in place in relation to appointments, skills and training

• whether processes are in place to maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct and behaviour, and

• whether processes are in place to support transparency with the public and other key stakeholders

5.  In addressing accountability, the review will consider amongst others:

• the sponsorship arrangements in place in line with the Cabinet Office Arm’s Length Body Sponsorship Code of Good Practice and its effectiveness in delivering objectives, and

• whether the organisation’s accountability, in its use of public funding, to the Home Office, Parliament and the public is effective

6.    In addressing efficacy, the review will consider amongst others:

• the form and function of the organisation

• how the organisation delivers outcomes for citizens

• how the organisation measures, monitors and improves performance

• the extent to which the IOPC and its DG delivers its statutory functions, including the requirement to establish and maintain public confidence in: the police complaints system and in the handling of its functions in relation to the investigation of complaints; conduct matters and deaths and serious injuries involving the police

• whether the investigation process is effective and how it may be improved

• whether the length of IOPC investigations is necessary and proportionate to the objectives of maintaining public confidence in the IOPC’s investigations of complaints and other matters, and ensuring investigations are appropriately rigorous to the circumstances of individual cases

• whether there are some investigations – in general terms – that could be concluded more efficiently to provide greater certainty for all parties concerned

• whether decision-making processes are effective and efficient, and

• whether there is sufficient scope to challenge and scrutinise decision-making

7.    In addressing efficiency, the review will consider amongst others:

• financial management arrangements in place and the IOPC’s ability to track progress towards goals

• what efficiency improvements could be made, for example through benchmarking, where possible, against similar organisations and digitisation

• options to drive productivity and efficiency within its workforce, and

• how the IOPC can deliver recurring savings on its Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL) of at least 5% (in nominal terms), against 2022/3 allocations (including any reduction in indicative budget allocation from the Home Office for 2023/4), to be delivered at the latest within three years of the Review

8.    The review will consider other matters pertaining to the above outlined themes as they emerge.

Approach

9.    The review will draw upon data and evidence including through consultation with wider stakeholders, representative bodies and the Welsh Government as appropriate.

10. A small number of these stakeholders will form a Reference Group which will support the review to gather thoughts and discuss emerging findings.

11. The review will be led by Dr Gillian Fairfield, Chair of the Disclosure and Barring Service, as the Independent Lead Reviewer. She will be supported by a review team drawn from within the Home Office.

Timing

12. Commencement of the review follows formal appointment of the Lead Reviewer by the Home Secretary.

13. The Lead Reviewer will submit to the Home Secretary and Permanent Secretary a final report for internal review in Autumn 2023, with subsequent proposals for a summary of key findings and recommendations for publication.

14. Given these timelines, there will be no formal interim report. However, the Home Office may seek progress updates during the course of the review, as needed.