Part 1

Victims of criminal conduct

Victims of domestic abuse

Domestic abuse related death reviews
19
1
The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 is amended in accordance with subsections (2) to (4).
2
After section 8 insert—

Domestic abuse related death reviews

Establishment and conduct of reviews
8A
1
In this section “domestic abuse related death review” means a review of the circumstances of the death of a person which is held—
a
where the death has, or appears to have, resulted from domestic abuse towards the person within the meaning of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and
b
with a view to identifying the lessons to be learned from the death.
2
The Secretary of State may in a particular case direct a specified person or body within subsection (6) to establish, or to participate in, a domestic abuse related death review.
3
It is the duty of any person or body within subsection (6) establishing or participating in a domestic abuse related death review (whether or not held pursuant to a direction under subsection (2)) to have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State as to the establishment and conduct of such reviews.
4
A person or body within subsection (6) that establishes a domestic abuse related death review (whether or not held pursuant to a direction under subsection (2)) must send a copy of any report setting out the conclusions of the review to the Secretary of State and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.
5
The copy must be sent as soon as reasonably practicable after the report is completed.
6
The persons and bodies within this subsection are—
- chief officers of police for police areas in England and Wales;
- local authorities;
- NHS England;
- integrated care boards established under section 14Z25 of the National Health Service Act 2006;
- providers of probation services;
- Local Health Boards established under section 11 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006;
- NHS trusts established under section 25 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 18 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006.
7
In subsection (6) “local authority” means—
a
in relation to England, the council of a district, county or London borough, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly;
b
in relation to Wales, the council of a county or county borough.
8
The Secretary of State may by order amend subsection (6) or (7).
3
In section 9 (establishment and conduct of domestic homicide reviews)—
a
in each of subsections (2) and (3)—
i
for “Secretary of State” substitute “Department of Justice in Northern Ireland”;
ii
for “(4)” substitute “(4)(b)”;
b
omit subsections (3A), (3B), (3C), (4)(a), (5) and (6).
4
In section 61 (orders), in subsection (3), for “9(6)” substitute “8A(8)”.
5
In section 26 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (relationship of offensive weapons homicide reviews with other review requirements), in subsection (1)(b)—
a
after “of a” insert “domestic abuse related death review or”;
b
for “section” substitute “sections 8A and”.