Vice Chairman:

As there are no other hands up online, I might turn to my own questions. I again thank the witnesses very much for their attendance and for dealing with the various queries that have arisen to date. I was going to ask them to give a breakdown of the types of cases, but I see they have done it in the annual report.

What I like about the various annual reports is that the same style has been retained so it is easy to compare the figures, year on year, for anybody picking up the reports. The 2020 report notes that 30% of referrals relate to deaths unrelated to road traffic incidents. I was also struck by the figure for sexual offences, which was reported as 7%. I am not sure how those figures compare with the previous years; I have not checked. However, 30% seems a high figure. I know the report includes a number of case studies but our guests might give us a flavour of the types of cases with which the commission deals for those watching these proceedings. I am looking to get a general sense of the cases with which GSOC is dealing.

GSOC currently has 140 staff, which I think I heard our guests say includes nine investigators. I know that recruitment is ongoing. I am a member of the Committee of Public Accounts and that committee engaged with GSOC only a couple of weeks ago. How is that recruitment going? I know it is difficult at the best of times.