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Case Presentation
33. Mr. Jack: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he plans to take to improve the way in which cases are presented to the CPS and Serious Fraud Office for prosecution. [80381]
The Solicitor-General:
The Serious Fraud Office is responsible both for the investigation and prosecution of cases involving serious or complex fraud. In almost every case it investigates in conjunction with a police force and there is a Memorandum of Understanding between the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and ACPO on how investigations are to be conducted. The Memorandum places an emphasis on planning and accountability and in every case SFO documentary control systems are used to ensure the efficient use of investigator and police time. The Crown Prosecution Service is working with the police on a number of initiatives to improve the way that cases are presented to the Crown Prosecution Service including collaboration on ways of implementing the Glidewell recommendations to introduce joint police/CPS Criminal Justice Units to facilitate the progress of cases through the magistrates' courts and the establishment of Trial Units to handle Crown Court casework.
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Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Attorney-General what recent representations he has received on his proposals to reform the Crown Prosecution Service. [80375]
The Solicitor-General:
There is continuing interest in the reform of the Crown Prosecution Service. The Attorney-General and I regularly receive inquiries and representations from hon. Members about the Service.
Sir Iain Glidewell's Report on the Crown Prosecution Service made a number of recommendations aimed at reform of the Crown Prosecution Service. Additionally, the Government decided to re-structure the CPS into 42 geographical Areas to improve efficiency and accountability.
The Crown Prosecution Service is making good progress in considering and implementing the recommendations in Sir Iain Glidewell's Report. Additionally, the new 42 Chief Crown Prosecutors are now in post to take forward the reforms that will improve efficiency.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Attorney-General what steps he takes to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service gives due weight to environmental considerations in deciding whether to pursue a prosecution. [80379]
The Solicitor-General:
A number of prosecuting authorities are responsible for the enforcement of cases involving environmental considerations. Agencies such as the Environment Agency prosecute a high proportion of such cases; the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutes offences investigated by the police. All prosecuting authorities must apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors when making the decision to prosecute. If there is sufficient evidence, environmental considerations will be a factor taken into account when deciding whether a prosecution is required in the public interest.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of homicide in London (a) have not been the subject of commencement of legal proceedings, (b) have been the subject of commenced but discontinued legal proceedings, (c) have been the subject of completed legal proceedings, but without conviction and (d) have led to conviction, for each year since the CPS was established. [80372]
The Solicitor-General:
The CPS do not keep central records. Figures compiled by the Home Office from police notifications show that:
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| Year offence recorded | Number of offences | (a) Not commenced per cent. | (b) Commenced but discontinued per cent. | (c) Completed but no conviction for homicide per cent. | (d) Conviction per cent. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 210 | 13 | 1 | 24 | 61 |
| 1987 | 193 | 14 | 1 | 21 | 64 |
| 1988 | 148 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 63 |
| 1989 | 177 | 16 | -- | 23 | 61 |
| 1990 | 184 | 19 | -- | 25 | 55 |
| 1991 | 184 | 16 | 1 | 27 | 56 |
| 1992 | 175 | 12 | 1 | 29 | 59 |
| 1993 | 160 | 16 | -- | 23 | 62 |
| 1994 | 167 | 20 | 1 | 21 | 58 |
| 1995 | 167 | 24 | 2 | 19 | 54 |
| 1996 | 144 | 19 | 1 | 19 | 56 |
| 1997 | 180 | 29 | 1 | 12 | 42 |
22 Apr 1999 : Column: 611
In addition, there were proceedings pending as follows: 1 in 1986, 1 in 1994, 1 in 1995, 7 in 1996 and 29 in 1997.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
European Commission Funding
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 18 March 1999, Official Report, columns 759-60, concerning EU budget line B3-306, for what reason the Commission removed the prohibition in the amended Budget Line notes; and what is the basis for the statement that the Commission shares his Department's view of how such expenditure should be used. [80177]
Ms Quin: The drafting of language used in this Budget Line is a matter for the European Commission.
I refer the hon. Member to the Budget Line notes for 1999. They state:
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department was informed in advance of the intended placement of the article by the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) in Le Monde on 3 March. [80156]
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to deposit the agendas for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Working Groups in the Library. [80149]
Ms Quin:
The Government do not have discretion unilaterally to disclose documents which may jeopardise the confidentiality of internal European Union discussion, such as the agendas of CFSP working groups, which, on occasions, can be sensitive. However, the Government are committed to ensuring more effective parliamentary scrutiny of, and greater openness in EU business, including the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and have introduced procedures for the parliamentary scrutiny of all CFSP Common Positions, Joint Actions, and other politically important documents.
The UK participates in a very large number of working-level meetings in the international organisations of which it is a member: not only in the EU but also, for example, in the UN, NATO and the OSCE.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held between (a) United Kingdom Ministers, (b) British diplomats and (c) other parties acting on behalf
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of the United Kingdom with President Slobodan Milosevic since he assumed the presidency of Yugoslavia; on which date the meetings were held; and what matters were discussed in each case. [81578]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I met President Milosevic on 31 October 1997 when I informed him that we wanted the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to rejoin the European family of nations but that this would require progress on democratisation, indicted war criminals and Kosovo. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary travelled to Belgrade to discuss Kosovo with President Milosevic on 5 March 1998.
Our Ambassador in Belgrade, Ivor Roberts, was present during the first of the above calls and met Milosevic separately on 10 June 1997 when the conversation was dominated by war criminals and Kosovo. Brian Donnelly, our subsequent Ambassador, presented his credentials to Milosevic on 19 December 1997: the call focused on Bosnia, war criminals and Kosovo.
Ivor Roberts travelled to Belgrade on 2 July 1998 as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative to discuss Kosovo. The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party met Milosevic on 29 September and handed over a letter from the Prime Minister.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the dates when the Government of the United Kingdom recognised the independence of new states which were parts of the former state of Yugoslavia, (b) what conditions were imposed on their recognition, (c) whether the conditions were imposed in concert with the then other members of the European Community and (d) the dates of such decisions taken by the Council of Ministers. [81434]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Republics of Croatia and Slovenia were both recognised by the UK, as part of a concerted European Community move, on 15 January 1992.
The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina was recognised by all European Community states on 7 April 1992.
The Republic of Macedonia was recognised by the United Kingdom on 8 April 1993 when it was admitted to the United Nations.
"These measures are designed to be an effective channel of communication and dialogue between the people of the European Union and the Community institutions. They take account of specific national and regional characteristics, in close co-operation with the Member State authorities."
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