Peers urge reform to boost forensic science R&D

A House of Lords committee has called for the creation of a National Institute for Forensic Science to set strategic priorities for forensic science R&D.

This was one of the main recommendations in a damning report from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, which said R&D in forensic science was “under-resourced, uncoordinated and does not appear to reflect value to the criminal justice system”.

The proposed institute, which would fall under the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) umbrella, would also be tasked with coordinating and directing research and funding, according to the report published on 1 May.