Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings by Professor Hucklesby of Leeds University on pre-charge bail; and what action, if any, they plan to take in response to those findings.

Professor Hucklesby submitted her findings as part of the public consultation launched by my Right Honourable Friend the Home Secretary in December last year. Officials have been in contact with Professor Hucklesby and have arranged for her to address the next meeting of the PACE Strategy Board in October.

Professor Hucklesby’s findings are broadly supportive of the reforms to pre-charge bail which the Home Secretary set out in response to the consultation in March of this year. Legislation to give effect to those reforms will be brought forward in the Policing and Criminal Justice Bill later this year.