PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Bail (30 January 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government's review of pre-charge bail law will assess the potential merits of reforming Release Under Investigation (RUI), including (a) the introduction of time limits, (b) a requirement for sharing updates and (c) an updated approval process for using RUI.

Asked by:
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour)

This government is fully committed to protecting the public, and ensuring the police have the powers they need.

On 5 November the government announced its intention to review pre-charge bail legislation, including the practice of ‘Released Under Investigation’ (RUI), to ensure we have a system which more effectively prioritises the safety of victims and witnesses and the management of suspects.

Specifically, the review will look to:

• ensure the proper use of bail to protect victims and witnesses;
• support the police in the timely management of investigations, whether a suspect is released on bail or RUI;
• respect the rights of suspects, victims and witnesses to timely decisions and updates;
• ensure pre-charge bail supports the timely progression of cases to courts; and
• design simplified and flexible rules to support effective operational decisions.

Answered by:
Kit Malthouse (Conservative)
5 February 2020