Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs) allow police to deal quickly and proportionately with low-level offending without recourse to the courts. One type of OOCD is community resolution. This is a non-statutory disposal that can be administered by police forces when the offender accepts responsibility for the offence, and in most cases, where the victim has agreed that they do not want more formal action taken.

‘Community resolution’ is a nationally recognised term for a disposal which has been in use by police for some years, and prior to 2014. In 2014, following consultation, the Ministry of Justice identified support for community resolution as part of a simplified framework for OOCDs in which all disposals had conditions attached.

The College of Policing hold guidance on the use of community resolutions:

http://library.college.police.uk/docs/appref/Community-Resolutions-Incorporating-RJ-Final-Aug-2012-2.pdf (this was also summarised as part of a quick reference guide published by Ministry of Justice in 2013: https://www.yjlc.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MoJ-Quick-reference-guides-out-of-court-disposals-2013.pdf).

Individual decisions around the appropriateness of issuing an OOCD are an operational matter for police.

Typically, a Constable, Police Community Support Officer or Police Staff Investigator can decide to issue a community resolution, in accordance with Authorised Professional Practice, gravity matrices and local force policies which inform decision making.

Police and partners have a range of measures in place to ensure appropriate use of Out of Court Disposals. Supervisors are expected to check decision-making of their staff regularly. Out of Court Disposal scrutiny panels are also in place with external representation - these review in detail a selection of cases to determine whether the method of disposal is considered appropriate, based on a review of the information/evidence available to the decision maker at the time.

Government works closely with the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) whose Charging and Out of Court Disposals strategy (2017-2021) sets out their position and support for forces around OOCDs. We publish data and pay attention to trends in the use of Out of Court Disposals on an ongoing basis.

Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs) allow police to deal quickly and proportionately with low-level offending without recourse to the courts. One type of OOCD is community resolution. This is a non-statutory disposal that can be administered by police forces when the offender accepts responsibility for the offence, and in most cases, where the victim has agreed that they do not want more formal action taken.

‘Community resolution’ is a nationally recognised term for a disposal which has been in use by police for some years, and prior to 2014. In 2014, following consultation, the Ministry of Justice identified support for community resolution as part of a simplified framework for OOCDs in which all disposals had conditions attached.

The College of Policing hold guidance on the use of community resolutions:

http://library.college.police.uk/docs/appref/Community-Resolutions-Incorporating-RJ-Final-Aug-2012-2.pdf (this was also summarised as part of a quick reference guide published by Ministry of Justice in 2013: https://www.yjlc.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MoJ-Quick-reference-guides-out-of-court-disposals-2013.pdf).

Individual decisions around the appropriateness of issuing an OOCD are an operational matter for police.

Typically, a Constable, Police Community Support Officer or Police Staff Investigator can decide to issue a community resolution, in accordance with Authorised Professional Practice, gravity matrices and local force policies which inform decision making.

Police and partners have a range of measures in place to ensure appropriate use of Out of Court Disposals. Supervisors are expected to check decision-making of their staff regularly. Out of Court Disposal scrutiny panels are also in place with external representation - these review in detail a selection of cases to determine whether the method of disposal is considered appropriate, based on a review of the information/evidence available to the decision maker at the time.

Government works closely with the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) whose Charging and Out of Court Disposals strategy (2017-2021) sets out their position and support for forces around OOCDs. We publish data and pay attention to trends in the use of Out of Court Disposals on an ongoing basis.

Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs) allow police to deal quickly and proportionately with low-level offending without recourse to the courts. One type of OOCD is community resolution. This is a non-statutory disposal that can be administered by police forces when the offender accepts responsibility for the offence, and in most cases, where the victim has agreed that they do not want more formal action taken.

‘Community resolution’ is a nationally recognised term for a disposal which has been in use by police for some years, and prior to 2014. In 2014, following consultation, the Ministry of Justice identified support for community resolution as part of a simplified framework for OOCDs in which all disposals had conditions attached.

The College of Policing hold guidance on the use of community resolutions:

http://library.college.police.uk/docs/appref/Community-Resolutions-Incorporating-RJ-Final-Aug-2012-2.pdf (this was also summarised as part of a quick reference guide published by Ministry of Justice in 2013: https://www.yjlc.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MoJ-Quick-reference-guides-out-of-court-disposals-2013.pdf).

Individual decisions around the appropriateness of issuing an OOCD are an operational matter for police.

Typically, a Constable, Police Community Support Officer or Police Staff Investigator can decide to issue a community resolution, in accordance with Authorised Professional Practice, gravity matrices and local force policies which inform decision making.

Police and partners have a range of measures in place to ensure appropriate use of Out of Court Disposals. Supervisors are expected to check decision-making of their staff regularly. Out of Court Disposal scrutiny panels are also in place with external representation - these review in detail a selection of cases to determine whether the method of disposal is considered appropriate, based on a review of the information/evidence available to the decision maker at the time.

Government works closely with the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) whose Charging and Out of Court Disposals strategy (2017-2021) sets out their position and support for forces around OOCDs. We publish data and pay attention to trends in the use of Out of Court Disposals on an ongoing basis.

NHS England welcomes the Sofia Forum report into the needs of women with HIV. The report provides a summary of the findings of two studies aimed at understanding the needs of women living with or affected by HIV in the United Kingdom and a number of recommendations.

In order to meet the needs of women with HIV as identified in the report, NHS England is currently considering how they can address stigma, implementation of peer support and mental health in their HIV services and will take these recommendations for women into account. The report will be considered as part of the evidence base in any future reviews of the HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme.

In addition to routine data collection, detailed gender breakdowns will be routinely included as part of Public Health England’s HIV Official Statistics. Public Health England is piloting enhanced surveillance to better understand the circumstances associated with men and women acquiring HIV and the reasons for delays in testing for HIV among them.

We are in discussion with other member states and the Commonwealth Secretariat to finalise the agenda for the forthcoming Heads of Government meeting. We anticipate that discussion at the summit, in the four Commonwealth Forums and in the Ministerial meetings, will range widely and cover the most pressing global health challenges facing Commonwealth member states, including issues affecting people living with HIV and populations affected by HIV.

Under the Equality Act 2010, HIV infection is already a qualifying condition for disability from the point of diagnosis. People diagnosed with HIV are, therefore, eligible for the protections in the Act available to those with disabilities.

The UK pledged to Leave No-one Behind as part of delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This means ensuring the inclusion of the poorest and most marginalised people for example girls and women and people with disabilities.

The International Development Act (Gender Equality 2014) requires due regard to the impact on gender inequality before providing development and humanitarian assistance. In May 2016 the UK signed up to the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action to ensure people with disabilities will benefit from development and humanitarian assistance.

DFID also works with implementing partners to improve disaggregation of beneficiary data by sex, age, disability status and geography wherever possible and relevant, including use of Washington Group questions on disability. Disaggregation helps DFID understand who is included and benefits from our development and humanitarian assistance.

The systematic inclusion of people with disabilities in development and humanitarian action is a top priority for the Department for International Development. On 24 July, the UK will co-host the Global Disability Summit to increase action and investment, lock-in progress and share best practice. The summit aims to drive forward a step change in global efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination against all persons with disabilities. This includes realising the rights of persons with disabilities that are often among the most excluded in society and those that experience “double discrimination”, including those living with HIV and members of the LGBT community. In line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the active participation of all people with disabilities will be at the very heart of the summit.

The UK’s global HIV response prioritises those left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. For example, we are proud to be a founding supporter of the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund, which supports the grassroots response for inadequately served groups including men who have sex with men and sex-workers.

The systematic inclusion of people with disabilities in development and humanitarian action is a top priority for the Department for International Development. On 24 July, the UK will co-host the Global Disability Summit to increase action and investment, lock-in progress and share best practice. The summit aims to drive forward a step change in global efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination against all persons with disabilities. This includes realising the rights of persons with disabilities that are often among the most excluded in society and those that experience “double discrimination”, including those living with HIV and members of the LGBT community. In line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the active participation of all people with disabilities will be at the very heart of the summit.

The UK’s global HIV response prioritises those left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. For example, we are proud to be a founding supporter of the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund, which supports the grassroots response for inadequately served groups including men who have sex with men and sex-workers.

The Government extended the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme to a range of terrorism offences in response to the review of counter-terrorism powers that followed the London and Manchester attacks. This was the first step in meeting the commitment to consider the extension of the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme The Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General are currently considering how the scheme could be extended more generally.

The Criminal Procedure Rules require the court to pass sentence as soon as it is able to take into account the information that it needs for sentencing purposes. The information needed and the time taken to provide and consider it will depend upon the circumstances of the case.

It is for the courts to decide the appropriate sentence within the maximum penalty set by Parliament, taking into account the law, any relevant sentencing guidelines and the facts of the individual case.

The Ministry of Justice publish sentencing statistics on a regular basis. As sentencing is entirely a matter for the Judiciary, who are independent, the Ministry of Justice would not comment on perceived disparities between sentences in individual cases.

It is for the courts to decide the appropriate sentence within the maximum penalty set by Parliament, taking into account the law, any relevant sentencing guidelines and the facts of the individual case.

The Ministry of Justice publish sentencing statistics on a regular basis. As sentencing is entirely a matter for the Judiciary, who are independent, the Ministry of Justice would not comment on perceived disparities between sentences in individual cases.

The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, which makes female genital mutilation (FGM) a criminal offence, clearly sets out the medical circumstances in which it is not an offence to carry out a surgical operation on the labia majora, labia minora or clitoris: these circumstances are where the operation is carried out by an approved person (such as a medical professional) and is necessary for a woman or girl's physical or mental health or is for purposes connected with labour or birth. This surgery should not be undertaken within the National Health Service unless it is medically indicated.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) are clear in their guidelines, Female Genital Mutilation and its Management, published in July 2015, that “Female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) may be prohibited unless it is necessary for the patient’s physical or mental health. All surgeons who undertake FGCS must take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the FGM Acts.” A copy of the guidelines is attached. The RCOG also published an ethical opinion paper in relation to female genital cosmetic surgery in 2013, which provides background briefing on FGM and explores the ethical considerations in relation to FGCS around consent, minors and clinical evidence. A copy of the opinion paper, Ethical considerations in relation to female genital cosmetic surgery (FCGS), is attached.

NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:

- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;

- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.

In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.

Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.

PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.

The full action plan is attached.

NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:

- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;

- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.

In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.

Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.

PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.

The full action plan is attached.

NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:

- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;

- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.

In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.

Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.

PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.

The full action plan is attached.

NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that:

- during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;

- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17.

In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys.

Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services.

PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning.

The full action plan is attached.

The focus of the inquiry will be on establishing the truth of what happened.

Over the summer, the Government is consulting with those affected and key stakeholder groups to discuss the scope of the inquiry.

As announced on 30th March 2017, 70 organisations were selected to be put forward to share £12 million worth of investment from the Tampon Tax Fund. All applications into the fund were assessed against three criteria: evidence for the need of the project; the organisation’s ability to deliver; and the sustainability and impact of the project. A list of the 70 organisations has been published on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charities-across-the-uk-benefit-from-tampon-tax-fund