Gary Pugh appointed Forensic Science Regulator for England and Wales

Mr Pugh will carry out the role for three years, taking over from the Interim Regulator Rupert Shute.

The Regulator ensures that the provision of forensic science services across the Criminal Justice System complies with an appropriately high standard of scientific quality and is carried out with objectivity and impartiality.

Responsibilities of the Forensic Science Regulator include:

• Establishing, and monitoring compliance with, quality standards in the provision of forensic science services to the police service and the wider Criminal Justice System (CJS).
• Ensuring, where applicable, the accreditation of those supplying forensic science services to the police, including in-house police services and forensic suppliers to the wider CJS.
• Setting and monitoring compliance with, quality standards applying to national forensic science intelligence databases.
• Providing advice to Ministers, CJS organisations, suppliers and others as seems appropriate, on matters related to quality standards in forensic science.
• Dealing with complaints from stakeholders and members of the public in relation to quality standards in the provision of forensic science services.

Mr Pugh, a former Director of Forensic Services in the Metropolitan Police Service, is a forensic scientist of over 40 years, with experience of leading national governance boards and operations.

The new Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021 is intended to provide the Regulator with statutory powers.