As Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, I worked hard on the Domestic Abuse Bill. This landmark piece of legislation included placing the guidance supporting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) on a statutory footing, so I was extremely concerned to hear last week that Wiltshire Police have commissioned an urgent review into how the force handled Clare’s Law disclosures. This follows an IOPCC referral regarding concerns linked to disclosures made by one member of staff.
I have requested an urgent meeting with the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner, to further discuss the subsequent review which will now take place into all Clare’s Law applications made between April 2015 to August 2023.
This review must be thorough and managed with the utmost care and consideration for all of those affected.