The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) campaign, #SimplifyDG6, aimed at addressing the complexities and burdens associated with the current evidence disclosure guidance, has reached its most crucial stage with PFEW calling on the Members of Parliament, especially Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, to walk the talk and fulfil the promises made last year.

The PFEW’s proposed amendments to the data protection laws, as part of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, to alleviate the significant workload pressures on police officers were brought before the House of Commons Select Committee on Tuesday [4 March 2025] for deliberations. This follow the PFEW-backed amendments to the Data Protection Act 2018 were extensively debated in the House of Lords where it was tabled by Baroness Morgan of Cotes. Earlier in May 2023, the proposed amendment was brought before Parliament through the Data Protection and Digital Information (No 2) Bill, which was designed to facilitate the transfer of personal data between police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prior to charging decisions. However, the Bill did not translate into legislation because of the last general election giving rise to the Data (Use and Access) Bill currently before Parliament.

On 22 March 2024, the Labour Party announced that it had set up a commission to find ways to increase the number of crimes being solved and had warned of a “calamitous collapse” in charging and set out key reforms to ensure delivery for victims. The Labour Party adopted PFEW’s proposal as part of its new “five-point common sense plan to solve more crimes”. Point 3 of which says: “Changing data protection laws so police no longer have to redact case files before they are sent to the CPS, saving thousands of officer hours every year”. The then Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, had said: “Labour will implement the commission’s common-sense recommendations to ensure the criminal justice system delivers for the people it is there to serve.”

Police Federation National Detectives’ Forum Chair Ben Hudson, who is spearheading the campaign, said: “We are reminding the Government of the assurances they made when they were in the opposition. Our very conservative estimate is that by adopting the amendment, the Government will be able to save at least £5.6 million of taxpayers’ money annually, and more importantly, free up thousands of officer hours which can be used in frontline policing duties to make our streets safer.”

The #SimplifyDG6 campaign was launched following the release of the Annual Review of Disclosure by the Attorney General’s Office on 26 May 2022. The review highlighted several shortcomings in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Disclosure Guidance 2020, which became effective on 1 January 2021. These shortcomings have placed additional pressures on police officers when submitting case files to the CPS for charging decisions.

One of the primary issues identified by the PFEW is the extensive time and resources required for redacting case material at the pre-charge stage. The current guidance mandates that officers must ensure all personal information is redacted to comply with data protection laws, even when sharing information between collaborating agencies. This process is not only time-consuming but also detracts from the officers' ability to focus on their core duties of investigating and solving crimes.

Support for the campaign has been widespread. Within minutes of its launch in August 2023, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) expressed its support and within weeks issued amendments to the Joint Principles for Redaction. These revised principles, developed by the CPS and the NPCC Disclosure portfolio, set out a joint position on how to approach data protection responsibilities. The NPCC and CPS urged all chief constables and chief crown prosecutors to apply the revised guidance expecting to reduce the redaction burden while still complying with the existing legal framework.

The PFEW has also received backing from the Home Affairs Committee, which has recommended several measures to support the #SimplifyDG6 campaign. The committee's support underscores the importance of addressing the bureaucratic challenges faced by police officers and the need for legislative amendments to streamline the disclosure process

Mr Hudson added: “The #SimplifyDG6 campaign is a crucial step towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system. By addressing the practical difficulties faced by police officers in redacting case material at the pre-charge stage, the campaign aims to ensure that officers can focus on their primary responsibilities without being bogged down by administrative tasks.

“The proposed legislative amendments will not only benefit the police force but also contribute to a more streamlined and effective justice system. It is only through widespread support from MPs with a clear focus on legislative reform that the campaign can bring about significant positive changes in the criminal justice system.”