Justice CommitteeSupplementary evidence from the UK Missing Persons Bureau Part of the National Policing Improvement Agency
The Bureau’s relationship with families and the public
1. Oral evidence was given by the Bureau regarding the Bureau’s relationship with families and the public in response to a question from a Committee member. The Bureau wishes to clarify a sentence in the Memorandum previously submitted. In paragraph 6, the Bureau is to provide advice and support to police forces as part of its national coordination function, thus ensuring that the police provide a consistent and comprehensive service to the public. The sentence is not intended to suggest that the Bureau provides support directly to the public.
2. The Bureau mentioned in its oral evidence that it has long standing relationships with family members. It held a consultation event with them to identify ways to improve the police response to missing cases and find out what families want from the police. Based on this feedback, the Bureau has recently produced a series of eleven leaflets for police officers to give to family members explaining what to do when a person goes missing, what to expect from the police and where and how to get support and assistance from other organisations. Family members can also access these leaflets on the Bureau’s webpage. The leaflets are in the process of being translated into Welsh and the Bureau is consulting with forces to identify the next languages for translation.
3. The Bureau estimates that its Intelligence Officers spend approximately 5% of their time supporting direct enquiries from the public. For the management team, this time increases to 15%. Bureau staff members do not conduct police investigations; instead, case enquiries are made leading to the development of actionable intelligence for police usage. Enquiries include open source searching, searches of the Police National Computer (PNC), Police National Database (PND) and other national systems and liaison with government departments, agencies and the voluntary sector, both at home and abroad.
The Bureau’s Joint Guidance with the Ministry of Justice on Coroner’s Inquiries opened under Section 15
4. The Bureau is producing guidance on opening a coroner’s inquest under section 15 of the Coroner’s Act 1988 to assist families, solicitors, coroners and police. It also includes information on the other current remedies available including leave to swear death. The Bureau is working closely with the Ministry of Justice and Coroners on this guidance; however, it is proving challenging due to the complexities of the current system. The guidance may aid understanding and improve awareness but it will not solve the specific issues with current legislation; for example, the need to follow different routes to apply for dissolution of the marriage and to administer the missing person’s estate.
5. The Bureau is producing a quick reference guide for police regarding coronial involvement in missing person enquiries which will hopefully lead to increased referral of relevant missing person cases to coroners.
6. The Bureau is producing a quick reference guide for coroners on lines of enquiry in missing person case. These enquiries would form part of proof of life enquiries in no body murder cases. The guide will hopefully standardise coronial involvement in missing person cases and assist coroners to decide whether the relevant investigation has been completed and whether there is sufficient information available to decide whether to apply to the Justice Secretary of State for a direction to open a section 15 inquiry.
7. The Bureau welcomes the recent announcement to implement the role of Chief Coroner. When the role was first proposed, it was suggested that coroners would apply to the Chief Coroner instead of the Secretary of State for Justice for a direction to open an inquiry under Section 15. The Bureau looks to the Chief Coroner to provide direction and encourage consistency in coronial decision-making.
The Need for Primary Legislation
8. It is the Bureau’s view that primary legislation is necessary to transform the complex legal landscape and replace the current “archaic and unsatisfactory” provisions with new law. This new legislation should incorporate presumption of death provisions akin to Scotland and Northern Ireland, guardianship provisions similar to those in Australia and should extend coroners’ responsibilities under Section 15 (removing the geographic restriction).
December 2011