Forensic Evidence: Alleged Manipulation

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:38 pm on 27 November 2017.

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Photo of Nick Hurd Nick Hurd The Minister of State, Home Department 3:38, 27 November 2017

As I said clearly at the outset, I do think that the situation is extremely serious, but I agree with the hon. Gentleman’s diagnosis that it may be a rare one. Again, I repeat the view that the regulator has reached about the efficacy of any standards of regulation to prevent

“determined malpractice by skilled but corrupt personnel”.

Again, I place on record the progress that has been made since 2011, when the regulator published the first codes of practice and conduct for forensic science providers. I do think that there is increased stringency in the standards and quality requirements for forensic science, and that matters enormously because of the way this underpins confidence in forensic science within the criminal justice system.