On Tuesday 6th November the House of Lords Science and Technology
Select Committee will question legal academics and major private
sector forensic science providers on the
UK’s use of forensic science in the criminal justice
system.
The Committee will explore with the
witnesses the differences between what forensic science provision
is available to the prosecution and defence and whether the
understanding of forensic science in the court system is good
enough to avoid miscarriages of
justice.
The spend on forensic science by police
in the private sector has been reduced by over 50% since 2012. In
the second session the Committee will question witnesses from the
three largest private providers of forensic science services in
the UK to assess whether this has changed the services they can
provide. They will also explore what implications this has had
for the sustainability of the market, especially in the light of
the recent volatility which has seen Key Forensic Services going
into (and then being bought out of)
administration.
The first evidence session will
begin at 3:25pm in Committee Room 4a of the House of Lords.
Giving evidence will be:
-
Professor Carole
McCartney, Reader in
the School of Law, Northumbria
University
-
Professor David Ormerod
QC, Chair in Criminal
Law, UCL, Law Commissioner for England and Wales, and Deputy
High Court Judge.
Giving evidence to the Committee at 4.30pm
will be:
-
Mr Paul Hackett, Group
Managing Director, Key Forensic Services Ltd
-
Mr David Hartshorne, Managing
Director, Cellmark Forensic Services
-
Dr Mark Pearse, Commercial
Director, Eurofins Forensic Services
Questions the Committee are
likely to ask include:
-
Who should be responsible and accountable for
ensuring high quality research in forensic science that
supports high quality delivery of forensic science to the
police and the courts?
-
What is the scientific evidence base for the use of
forensic techniques in the reconstruction of crimes, and their
investigation and prosecution?
-
Where are the gaps in the criminal justice system
in the understanding, and research of, forensic
science?
-
Is the current market for forensic
services in England and Wales
sustainable?
-
What powers should the Forensic Science Regulator
have and how well does the current system of accreditation
work?
