Forensic speech scientists contribute to House of Lords inquiry

Posted on Thursday 25 September 2025

Two members of the Department of Language and Linguistic Science's Forensic Speech Science research group, Dr James Tompkinson and Dr Lauren Harrington, recently provided evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee inquiry into the production of transcripts in the criminal justice system. The inquiry focused on how transcripts are produced and used, particularly those of police-suspect interviews and indistinct forensic audio.

Both Lauren and James provided written evidence based on their research in this area. Dr Tompkinson also attended an oral evidence session in Parliament to discuss the issues with the committee alongside other leading academics in the field.

“We were delighted that our research was able to contribute to the House of Lords inquiry into police transcription,” said Dr Tompkinson. “Engaging with policymakers and those working outside of academia is a core part of what we try to do in the Forensic Speech Science research group. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience, and we hope that our work was able to provide useful information to help the inquiry with their recommendations.”

Evidence was also received from senior lawyers, police officers, and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Find more information and watch the oral evidence session on the inquiry webpage: [https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9310/police-transcription/]