Victim information requests: draft code of practice
The government is consulting on a draft code of practice covering requests for third party material and the definition of counselling services.
This consultation is on the draft code of practice which accompanies the newly introduced statutory duties under Chapter 3A of the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022.
These duties create a framework that ensures that requests for a victim’s third-party material from authorised persons, including the police, are only made when it is necessary, proportionate and sensitive to the privacy of the victim.
Third party material is material held about a person which can be requested from a ‘third party’ as part of an investigation. This can include medical records, local authority records or counselling notes.
This consultation also seeks views on a definition of counselling services.