Progress on PNC data quality

Report: 7
Date: 11 December 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report responds to the concerns raised surrounding PNC data quality, by the Information Commissioner and HMIC in the report 'On the Record'. In particular, ensuring that the results of all criminal prosecutions are promptly and accurately recorded on the PNC. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) had in excess of 90,000 such results outstanding in April 2001. The MPS has currently reduced this figure to 47,297.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members note the current position on the impending prosecution reduction target;
2. Members note that the MPS continues with an internal twelve-month project (commenced April 2001 – concluding March 2002) designed to improve PNC data quality. This will be achieved by ensuring that the results of all criminal cases that have been concluded in the Courts are recorded on the PNC; and
3. Members support the MPS, once this position is achieved, in continuing with the aim of removing this administrative burden from the Police Service and transferring it to the Lord Chancellor's Office where the responsibility properly sit. Members are asked to support this work in any way they can

B. Supporting information

1. In January 2001 a small project team was formed to oversee the service's response to the concerns raised by both the Information Commissioner and HMIC.

2. The team secured Home Office data which related to the results of numerous criminal proceedings. The assistance of staff at the Home Office's Prosecutions Sentencing and Cautions, Crime and Criminal Justice Unit is acknowledged. The data supplied was used to compile an information package supplied to all Borough Commands to assist their task of clearing all outstanding cases. Due to the large volume of data involved, it was necessary for the package to take the form of a CD ROM. The latest issue (version 3.1) contains in excess of 2,300,000 entries.

3. The team arranged access to archived material (old Court records) now stored at the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA). Such access has proved invaluable to those Borough Commands whose local Courts have archived many of their records. The support of the LMA staff, assisting police personnel with this initiative, has been invaluable.

4. Two seminars have since been organised by the team (the first in May, the second in October). These were directed toward giving staff from all Borough Commands an overview of the problem, guidance and advice on dealing with the same and instruction in the use of the CD ROM.

5. Since April of this year a monthly review of performance has been produced. (see document below) This review shows each Borough Command's monthly target, the number of matters resolved in the proceeding month and an indication as to whether each Borough has met its target.

6. The team has also visited every Borough to examine progress, discuss issues of concern and assist with, or address, problem areas. Reports of all such visits were compiled.

7. Six Borough Commands who have experienced difficulty in meeting their targets have been required to produce action plans which evidence their strategy for resolving the same.

8. The team introduced and continues to maintain a 'help-line' available to any member of staff working on reducing the backlog

9. Whilst obtaining the target continues to be a challenge the MPS believe that it is achievable to the satisfaction of the Information Commissioner.

C. Financial implications

1. The project team, which has undertaken the aforementioned actions, has operated utilising the services of four current members of SO3 (Identification Branch) and PRS (Policy, Review & Standards). In addition the project has been managed by a Superintendent who has been seconded to the same. The cost of employing a Superintendent part-time on this work is estimated at £60K.

2. With regard to the provision of result data, the information contained within the CD ROM was obtained, without cost, following negotiation with the Home Office. A nominal cost was however involved in providing the requisite discs to each Borough. With respect to access to the archived material, once again this has been achieved without direct cost to the MPS, following negotiation with the LMA. It should be noted that this access has resulted in considerable savings for the MPS. The previous arrangement involved the payment of a £20 fee for each individual check undertaken but this has been waived.

3. Given that the penalty for non-compliance is that the Information Commissioner will issue an enforcement notice on the MPS, which if ignored has consequences under the criminal law, this work is being achieved with the absolute minimum of resources and thus cost.

D. Background papers

Extract from Monthly Management Report.

E. Contact details

Report authors: Superintendent Jeff Curtis, MPS.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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