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19 Jun 2003 : Column 376W—continued
Document Classification
Harry Cohen: To ask the Solicitor-General how many documents are held by the Law Officer's Departments that are subject to security classification, broken down by category of classification. [107362]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 8 April 2003]: All the Departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibly, including the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, deal with a large number of documents subject to security classification. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Efficiency Savings
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit. [114104]
The Solicitor-General: A holding reply was given on 20 May 2003.
The Crown Prosecution Service does not have a specific departmental target for efficiency savings in 2003–04. One of the Spending Review 2002 PSA targets is to increase value for money from the criminal justice system by 3 per cent. a year. The Crown Prosecution Service will be contributing towards the target, which covers improvements in efficiency as well as improvements in effectiveness.
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Treasury Solicitor's Department
The Treasury Solicitor's Department does not have specific target for efficiency savings in 2003–04.
The majority of the Department operates as an Executive Agency recovering the costs of most of its services from Government Departments and publicly funded bodies. As a result of the Quinquenial Review of the Agency in 2001, significant management effort and resources are being focused on improving the business operations including greater efficiency. The changes under way will need to be completed in order that these improvements can be achieved.
In 2003–04, the Department has two cost measures that serve to control expenditure:
- 1. To recover from clients the full operating costs for chargeable services.
2. To maintain corporate staff overhead at no more than 15 per cent. of total staff costs.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, the Serious Fraud Office and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers do not have targets for efficiency savings in 2003–04 although they expect, and will, continue to seek to maximise the value for money achieved in all of its expenditure.
EU Directives
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by the Law Officers' Departments since 17 April 2002. [106823]
The Solicitor-General: A holding reply was given on 7 April 2003.
None of the Departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility have implemented any EU Directives or Regulations since 17 April 2002.
Industrial Action
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many working days were lost owing to industrial action by staff in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies in 2002. [102024]
The Solicitor-General: A holding reply was given on 12 March 2003.
In respect of all the departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility, the answer is none.
Mental Health
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor-General how many of her staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year. [111971]
The Solicitor-General: There have been two retirements within the Crown Prosecution Service on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year.
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There have been no retirements on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year in any of the other departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility.
Trupti Patel
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor-General how much the case against Mrs. Trupti Patel cost public funds. [119656]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 16 June 2003]: The trial of Regina v. Trupti Patel only concluded on 11 June 2003, and it is therefore not possible at this early stage to give an accurate costs figure. However, the Crown Prosecution Service estimate that their costs will be in the region of £160,000 to £170,000.
This figure does not include staff or running costs, which are attributable to the operation of the Crown Prosecution Service as a whole and cannot be assessed on an individual basis.
Pay Audits
Angela Eagle: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if she will publish the results of such an audit. [117434]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 10 June 2003]: The information is as follows:
The Crown Prosecution Service has undertaken an analysis of both its pay structure and the individual pay details of all its permanent staff. The detailed results are being discussed with the Departmental Trade Unions and a formal action plan will be available soon.
While the focus of the Crown Prosecution Service's Equal Pay Review Model is on gender equality, the Department's intention is to apply it to other groups as part of a wider diversity agenda later this year. This we will be able to do more effectively given the outcomes we obtained from the current exercise.
The Serious Fraud Office conducted its equal pay review in April 2003 and is in the process of drafting an action plan. It is proposed that a copy of the agreed action plan will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
Treasury Solicitor's Department and Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers:
The Treasury Solicitor's Department has completed the review of its pay systems, encompassing women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. An action plan has been produced and this will be placed in the Library of the House after full consideration has been given to the issues identified. The Review covers staff in the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate:
Although the pay systems for HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate differ from those of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, they fall within that budget and HM Crown Prosecution Service
19 Jun 2003 : Column 379W
Inspectorate was therefore included as a part of the Treasury Solicitor's Department review of the pay systems encompassing women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate is currently giving consideration to how the recommendations made following the review may impact upon it.
Pay Review
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made with the pay review in the Law Officers' Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap; and if she will make a statement. [106749]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 7 April 2003]: The information is as follows:
The Crown Prosecution Service has undertaken an analysis of both its pay structure and the individual pay details of all its permanent staff. The detailed results are being discussed with the Departmental Trade Unions and a formal action plan will be available soon.
While the focus of the Crown Prosecution Service's Equal Pay Review Model is on gender equality, the Department's intention is to apply it to other groups as part of a wider diversity agenda late this year. This we will be able to do more effectively given the outcomes we obtained from the current exercise.
The Serious Fraud Office conducted its equal pay review in April 2003 and is in the process of drafting an action plan. It is proposed that a copy of the agreed action plan will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
Treasury Solicitor's Department and Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers
The Treasury Solicitor's Department has completed the review of its pay systems, encompassing women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. An action plan has been produced and this will be placed in the Library of the House after full consideration has been given to the issues identified. The Review covers staff in the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
Although the pay systems for HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate differ from those of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, they fall within that budget and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate was therefore included as apart of the Treasury Solicitor's Department review of the pay systems encompassing women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate is currently giving consideration to how the recommendations made following the review may impact upon it.
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