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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Goods and Services (Payments)
Mr. Todd: To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which his Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all subcontractors involved in the work, co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12566]
The Attorney-General:
The position in relation to the Department for which I am responsible is as follows:
27 Oct 1997 : Column: 672
Mr. Leslie:
To ask the Attorney-General if he will assess the advantages of the Crown Prosecution Service consulting victims of crime about the progress and status of their cases. [12478]
The Attorney-General:
The victim's charter, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, sets out 27 standards of service that victims of crime can expect from criminal justice agencies including the Crown Prosecution service. These include best endeavours by the police to keep victims informed of significant developments in their case and asking about any fears the victim may have about further victimisation and details of loss, damage or injury. The Crown Prosecution service will taken this information, together with other known views of the victim, into account when making their decisions. Direct consultation between the CPS and victims is not normally appropriate since the victim will in most cases also be a prosecution witness.
Two schemes aimed at improving arrangements for keeping victims informed of progress in their case and ensuring that their interests are taken into account are at present being evaluated. In addition, the independent review of the Crown Prosecution Service will also consider ways to enable the Crown Prosecution Service to inform victims of crime about prosecution decisions.
The Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service has 13 geographical areas, a central case work group and a national headquarters. Each area has its own accounts section which is responsible for handling invoices for goods and services received and claims from prosecution witnesses in respect of expense claims for attendance at court.
In 1996-97 the CPS employed Chessington Computer Services Ltd. to process and make payments to suppliers and to witnesses. The software used by Chessington Computer Services Ltd. was the management accounting information system, MAISY. The cost of this service was £723,894.
There are no sub-contractors involved in making payments. The internal process costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Serious Fraud Office
The Serious Fraud Office use a payment processing package known as Purchase Ledger supplied by CEDARDATA.
The majority of payments are made through Paymaster by payable order or, if to another Government Department, by transfer. No sub-contractors are involved.
The cost of processing payments in 1996-97 is estimated at £32,500.
Treasury Solicitor's Department
All payments for goods and services supplied to Treasury Solicitor's Department and my own office are processed by the Treasury Solicitor's Department's financial accounting and information system, FAIS, which uses Image software supplied by TABS Ltd.
The majority of payments are made through Paymaster by payable order or, if to another Government Department, by transfer. In addition, the Department has recently implemented a facility which enables payments to be made via the bank automated clearing system. No sub-contractors are involved.
The cost of processing payments in 1996-97 is estimated at £109,000.
Schools (Parental Choice)
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many appeals have been made by parents on the grounds of non-admission of their child to the school of their choice, in each local education authority, in the latest year for which figures are available. [12795]
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Mr. Byers:
The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the following tables. More statistical details on admission appeals are in a departmental press notice published on 15 October. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.
(1) LEA maintained county and voluntary controlled and grant-maintained schools only.
(2) Grant-maintained schools only.
(3) From 1 April 1996.
(4) No schools of this type.
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