Overarching Independent Review into the Murder of Sir David Amess: terms of reference
Published 3 August 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
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On the 15 October 2021, Sir David Amess was murdered by an Islamist terrorist. His murderer was convicted on the 13 April 2022 and given a whole life sentence.
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This Overarching Independent Review into the Murder of Sir David Amess (the review) is commissioned by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to set out clearly the aspects of this incident the Amess family feel remain unaddressed. This is to be done in order to achieve the clearest understanding of how the murder was able to happen, the appropriate identification of further lessons, and the making of recommendations as to the appropriate preventative and precautionary steps which can be taken to minimise the risk of a future tragedy.
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The review will examine all information the reviewer judges appropriate. This includes but is not limited to: Lord Anderson’s report ‘Lessons for Prevent’; the Coroner’s inquest decision; documents disclosed by the Home Office and policing as part of the judicial and coronial processes; the judgment and sentencing remarks following the trial; and the Prevent Learning Review. It will also include interviews with relevant persons and documents supplied by all relevant agencies and organisations.
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The review will not re-examine the findings already drawn by Lessons for Prevent, the Coroner’s inquest decision, the Prevent Learning Review or the trial, but will seek to add value to previous reviews with a fresh perspective. The review will make its own findings on all relevant matters.
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The review, and subsequent report, will ideally be completed within six months from the start date. However, should further time be required for the review to be completed, the period of six months should not be regarded as a mandatory end point.
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Following the conclusion of the review, the reviewer will submit their findings to the Home Secretary who will consider what, if any, further action is required as a result of the findings. The findings will then be released to the Amess family. Any decision on further publication will sit with the Home Secretary but the assumption will be that the report will be published in full, subject to any necessary redactions.
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The reviewer will investigate independently of the Home Office but will be supported by the Home Office to fulfil their responsibilities.
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The Home Office will share relevant information, and arrange access to relevant personnel, in a timely manner and consistent with national security safeguards and legal requirements, for example data protection legislation. The reviewer will, set out in his report instances where he has been refused access to information or personnel on the basis of national security, data protection legislation or other legislation, and in a format agreed upon by the relevant information holder. The working assumption will be that the reviewer will have access to any information or personnel they deem necessary to fulfil their responsibility under these terms of reference.
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Additional memorandums of understanding will be drafted as required, to facilitate the sharing of information and access to relevant personnel for the wider law enforcement and counter-terrorism systems.
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The Home Office will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the reviewer to store and access classified and sensitive material.
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The reviewer is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) as they are not listed as an independent public authority in Schedule 1 to the FOIA. However, the FOIA will apply to any information held by the Home Office as part of its role in supporting the review, including information submitted to the Home Office by the reviewer for that purpose, and to the findings submitted to the Home Secretary following the conclusion of the review.
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Potential conflicts of interest should be raised with Director of Counter Terrorism immediately, and appropriate action taken to manage them.
Home Office
3 July 2026