About Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
In 2017, Parliament passed legislation establishing a new inspection regime for fire and rescue authorities. The existing inspectors of constabulary were appointed inspectors of fire and rescue authorities in addition to their police appointments. To reflect this new role, the Inspectorate’s name changed to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The Inspectorate provides authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their police force and fire & rescue service against others. The evidence gathered is used to drive improvements in the services they provide to the public.
In preparing its reports, the Inspectorate asks the questions that citizens would ask, and publishes the answers in an accessible form, using its expertise to interpret the evidence and make recommendations for improvement.
Further information on the inspectorate can be found here
Independence
HMICFRS is independent of government, the police and fire & rescue authorities:
- HM Inspectors are appointed by the Crown. They are not employees of the police service, fire & rescue authorities or the Government.
- In the dual role of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and HM Chief Fire & Rescue Inspector for England, the Chief Inspector reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police services in England and Wales, and on the efficiency and effectiveness of fire & rescue authorities in England.
- HM Inspectors may be called to give evidence before committees of Parliament, and must also account for their actions to the public through the media. As is the case with all public bodies, HM Inspectors are also susceptible to judicial review.
- Although HMICFRS’ budget is set by the Government, and the inspection programmes require the Home Secretary’s approval, no Minister, chief constable, police and crime commissioner, mayor or fire and rescue authority can interfere with the contents of an HMICFRS report or the judgment of HM Inspectors.
Police inspections
HMICFRS’ annual inspection programme for police forces in England and Wales is subject to the approval of the Home Secretary under the Police Act 1996.
The Home Secretary may also require HMICFRS to carry out further inspections of police forces, beyond the terms of the annual inspection programme. Police and crime commissioners may also commission HMICFRS to do inspections in their force areas, although HMICFRS is not required to accept any such commission.
HMICFRS may also carry out inspections of police forces on its own initiative if it considers that the performance or circumstances of a force merit it.
In devising its policing inspection programme for the Home Secretary’s approval, HMICFRS considers the risks to the public, service quality, public concerns, the operating environment, the effect which inspection may have on a force, and the benefits to the public of improvements which may follow inspection.
Fire & rescue authority inspections
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 requires the Inspectorate to inspect and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of fire & rescue authorities in England. This is principally focused on the fire and rescue service that the authority oversees.
The programme is subject to the approval of the Home Secretary who may also require HMICFRS, at any time, to carry out further inspections of any or all fire & rescues authorities in England. A recent example of this was the vital January 2021 inspection into how fire and rescue authorities responded to the COVID-19 outbreak and the numerous challenges it presents.
Powers
HMICFRS is an inspectorate, not a regulator. Regulators have powers of intervention, direction and enforcement. Inspectorates have powers to secure information, but no powers to give orders for change. Recommendations are not orders.
It is for chief constables (whose operational independence is a cornerstone of British policing), police and crime commissioners and fire & rescue authorities (both with powers to set local priorities and budgets) and, in extreme cases, the Home Secretary (who has ultimate democratic responsibility for policing and fire & rescue) to take action as a result of HMICFRS’ recommendations.
Police and crime commissioners are required to publish their comments on each HMICFRS report within 56 days of its publication, and must include an explanation of the steps to be taken in response to each HMICFRS recommendation or an explanation of why no action has been or is to be taken in that respect. Similarly, the revised Fire & Rescue National Framework for England requires fire and rescue authorities to give due regard to reports and recommendations made by HMICFRS and – if needed – prepare, update and regularly publish an action plan detailing how the recommendations are being actioned.
Places for Growth
In May 2021, the Home Office announced plans to further improve Civil Service representation in communities by moving roles from London and the South East, to offices and towns across the UK, including Stoke-on-Trent, Darlington, Peterborough, Salford and Solihull.
Having more people in regional areas will improve our collective understanding of regional priorities and challenges and will better support policy development, bringing a greater variety of voices and experiences into the Civil Service. For this reason, HMICFRS will be moving to a regional structure, so this role will not be London based.