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Extradition
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those people subject to extradition proceedings for offences committed in Great Britain in connection with Irish terrorism before 10 April 1998; and for what offences extradition is being sought. [44334]
Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 20 March 2002]: It is not our policy or practice to list the names of those who are the subject of extradition proceedings. I understand from the Attorney-General that the United Kingdom has sought the return of three fugitives under the backing of warrants arrangements in place as between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Those cases involve charges of conspiracy to murder; conspiracy to cause explosions; escape from lawful custody, and unlawful wounding.
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the processes are of (a) recruitment, (b) training and (c) assessment of the welfare of the Criminal Cases Review Commission's expert staff. [45574]
Mr. Keith Bradley: At 31 March 2001, 47 Case Review Managers (CRMs) were in post; 50 CRMs are expected to be in post at 31 March 2002. During 2001–02, eight CRMs will have joined the Commission, together with one recruited from within, and six will have left; a net increase of three.
Salary scales affect the Commission's ability to recruit, motivate and retain CRMs, and other staff of appropriate standards, against growing outside competition. Discussions have been held within the Commission and with the Home Office concerning the current scales.
One of the Commission's two Legal Advisers left at the end of September 2001, and recruitment of a successor is under way.
Process Improvement Project 3 is concerned with the development of an integrated training programme for all staff. Particular developments include training on induction and mentoring, and for the roles of Assigned Commission Member and of Reviewer in the Commission's Personal Development Review programme.
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The Commission will continue to ensure that its diversity policies are in line with best practice, and ensure that diversity issues are included in its integrated training programme. It is conducting a staff attitude survey the results of which will be available early in 2002–03.
Victim's Charter
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the special representative of road traffic victims is on the main Victim's Charter Implementation Group. [46490]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The Victim's Charter Review and Implementation Group does not include a special representative of road traffic victims. However, RoadPeace, Brake and the Campaign Against Drinking and Driving are each represented on the Road Deaths and Injuries Working Group, a subsidiary group considering the inclusion of road traffic victims within the scope of the Victim's Charter.
The Victim's Charter Review and Implementation Group receive periodic updates on the progress made by the Working Group and fully recognise that the specialist knowledge and experience of the voluntary organisations should strongly influence any emerging recommendations on how best to meet road traffic victims' needs. This is achieved through the subsidiary group.
More generally, the Home Department is setting up a separate and permanent Victims' Advisory Panel in order to advise on all current and future developments for victims. The terms of reference and membership of the panel are currently being actively considered, and an announcement will be made later this year.
Life Prisoners
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases regarding life prisoners who maintain their innocence referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission have been rejected; and if he will make a statement. [48654]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The specific information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is possible to provide figures relating to those with convictions for murder where it might be assumed that a life sentence was involved. The latest available figures show that there have been 59 such referrals since the establishment of the commission. Of these, 31 are awaiting an appeal hearing. Of the 28 appeals against a murder conviction that have been heard, the conviction was quashed in 19 cases, and judgment reserved in one case. Of the eight such convictions that were upheld by the Court of Appeal, one went on to the House of Lords where it was quashed.
Legislation requires the Court of Appeal to allow an appeal against conviction if they think the conviction is unsafe and to dismiss such an appeal in any other case. In each case the Court of Appeal's written judgment sets out the reasons for their decision on the safety of the conviction.
Almost all of those applying to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to have their convictions reviewed do so because they are maintaining their innocence.
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Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with members of the Criminal Cases Review Commission about the treatment of life prisoners who maintain their innocence; and what the outcome was of these discussions. [48650]
Mr. Keith Bradley: There have been no such discussions. Since the establishment in 1997 of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has had no role in the review of alleged miscarriages of justice. The commission is an independent body and it would therefore be inappropriate for the Home Secretary to intervene in this way.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Job Advertisements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the job advertisements placed by her Department in the last 12 months specifying where the advertisements were placed and the cost in each case. [39054]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Staff in my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, are on secondment from other Government Departments and external advertising is not used.
As for the Departments for which the Attorney General is responsible, details have been placed in the Library.
Energy Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on energy costs incurred by her Department in each of the last 10 years. [42437]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 14 March 2002]: Details of the figures available on energy costs incurred are as follows:
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The Government Property Lawyers ceased business in September 1999. Since then the building they occupied has been let and fuel costs are recovered from the tenants.
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| Crown Prosecution Service | |
| 2001–02 | 949,191 |
| 2000–01 | 867,796 |
| 1999–2000 | 842,962 |
| 1998–99 | 842,137 |
| 1997–98 | 874,934 |
| 1996–97 | 1,117,690 |
| 1995–96 | 875,393 |
| 1994–95 | 913,832 |
| 1993–94 | 945,084 |
| 1992–93 | 802,949 |
| 1991–92 | 813,625 |
| Serious Fraud Office | |
| 2000–01 | 64,514 |
| 1999–2000 | 69,932 |
| 1998–99 | 64,926 |
| 1997–98 | 71,049 |
| 1996–97 | 93,160 |
| 1995–96 | 98,814 |
Special Advisers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the number and expected cost to her Department of special advisers in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [43265]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 18 March 2002]: None of the Departments for which the Attorney- General is responsible employ special advisers.
Stolen Equipment
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 878W, on stolen equipment, whether the computer equipment stolen from her Department was (a) new and unused and (b) used; and what was the nature of the data stored on such items in each case. [42644]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 20 March 2002]: I am not aware of any equipment having been stolen from my Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, since 1 May 1997.
In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:
Since May 1997, six computers and one printer have been stolen from the Crown Prosecution Service. Details of the equipment stolen are as follows:
- 1998–99
- One computer—new and unused.
- One laptop computer—used—contained administrative data.
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- 1999–2000
- Two computers—used.
- (i) Court link PC—no data retained on PC.
- (ii) Typist PC—case related data retained on PC.
- One laptop computer—used—contained management data.
- One computer—used court link PC—no data retained on PC.
Treasury Solicitor's Department
Computer memory chips stolen from the Treasury Solicitor's Department in 1997 were new and unused.
A laptop computer stolen in 2001 had been used, but contained no data other than the standard office word processing package.
A password protected computer stolen from Counsel's chambers was in used condition.
The data contained on the computer were case related, consisting of miscellaneous lists, statements and documents. The loss was considered by the Case Controller and its impact was assessed as insignificant.
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