I urge the government to recognise the importance of the Forensic Science Regulator in maintaining public confidence and ensuring that forensic science is independent, rigorous, and robust. Forensic science services are crucial for public confidence in the criminal justice system. The closure of forensic science services has led to significant research funding losses and a decline in expertise, with only 30 toxicologists currently available. There is a need for better governance and statutory footing for these services, as well as clarity on how biometric information is managed and deleted. The Scottish Government have implemented an independent regulator, which should be watched by the UK Government to learn from its success. The issue is not the use of these images but their long-term storage, where people start having difficulties.

The speaker highlighted the history of forensic science regulation in the UK, citing the 'Forensic Science on Trial' report from 2005. He expressed concern over the loss of context provided by public sector forensic services when private companies take over. Stringer also noted a decline in funding for forensic research and criticised decisions that led to the disbanding of the Forensic Science Service, believing these actions compromised the integrity of criminal investigations. Suggested that a sign next to the camera in custody suites informs individuals about their right to have images deleted if they are found not guilty or charges are not sustained.

Forensic science is crucial for justice and must be regulated effectively. The market currently lacks sustainability, leading to delays, confusion, and potential miscarriages of justice. Digital forensics cases face long wait times, impacting vulnerable victims such as rape survivors. Accreditation standards are not being met, with 10,000 criminal cases affected by the Randox scandal. Police laboratories must achieve accreditation by October 2022 to ensure public confidence and compliance with standards.