| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Local Government Ombudsman
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Phil Hope): I have today placed in the Library of the House the Local Government Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2002–03.
The Report was published on 3 July. As required by Section 23 of the Local Government Act 1974 copies have been sent to the Local Government Association, as the designated representatives of Local Government, and to the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Report includes individual reports by the three Local Government Ombudsmen in England and includes information about complaints received during 2002–03, a review of the legislation governing the work of the Ombudsman, and details of the way in which the Ombudsman is working to improve delivery of public services by local authorities.
The full text of the Report is available on the Commission's website: www.lgo.org.uk.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Maghaberry Prison
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): I wish to announce that with effect from 31 July 2003, in accordance with the powers conferred on me by Rule 5(1) of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, that part of Maghaberry Prison site is removed from within the boundaries of Maghaberry Prison. The area to be removed is indicated on the site map, which I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses, by the words
- "area to be removed from the site of Maghaberry Prison".
North/South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland Limited
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): I have today placed in the Library papers relating to decisions that have been taken during the period 1 May 2003 to 30 June 2003 which relate to the North/South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland Limited under the terms of the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002 (Cmnd 5708).
Prison Service
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Jane Kennedy): I have placed copies of the Northern Ireland Prison Service's Corporate and Business Plan for 2003–06 and the Annual Report and Accounts for 2002–03 in the Libraries of both Houses.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 61WS
The Corporate and Business Plan contains Key Performance Targets I have set for the Service for 2003–04. These are:
- 1. 100 per cent. security for top and high risk prisoners.
2. 99.7 per cent. security for medium and low risk prisoners.
3. The number of staff assaulted by prisoners is less than a ratio of 5 per 100 prisoners.
4. The number of prisoners assaulted by prisoners is less than a ratio of 7.5 per 100 prisoners.
5. An average of at least 20 hours constructive activity per week for each sentenced prisoner.
6. An average of at least 12 hours constructive activity per week for each remand prisoner.
7. To ensure 82.5 per cent. of prisoners serving six months or more are working to a resettlement plan and that 95 per cent. of all lifers work to a resettlement plan, including preparation of the plan in the first six months from sentence.
8. Deliver at least 85 per cent. of the planned training days associated with the agreed corporate training priorities.
9. Reduce the average staff sickness days per head over the year to no more than 19 representing approximately a 30 per cent. reduction in sick absence over the year and an end of year figure equivalent to 14 days per annum per member of staff.
10. Ensure expenditure is within the budget allocated.
11. Lay the Annual Report and Audited Accounts before Parliament prior to the summer recess.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Assets Recovery Agency
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint): I am pleased to announce that the first annual report of the Assets Recovery Agency will be laid before Parliament on 8 September 2003.
The report is the first by the agency and covers the financial year 2002–03. The agency became operational on 24 February 2003, and the report covers the setting up of the agency and the first few weeks of its work. The next report will include an assessment of how the agency has carried out its first business plan, which was published on 9 July.
The agency is already making use of its powers, and has obtained several orders to freeze suspected criminal assets.
The establishment of the agency, with extensive powers to investigate and recover criminal assets, shows the Government's commitment to taking the profit out of crime.
Forensic Science Service
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Blunkett): An independent review of the Forensic Science Service was announced on 23 July 2002 by the Minister of State for Policing and Crime
17 Jul 2003 : Column 62WS
Reduction. The review has been overseen by a steering group which all key stakeholders were invited to join. The review team reported at the beginning of July this year.
The main thrust of the report focuses on the emergence of a more competitive market for forensic science services and the ability of the FSS to compete effectively in the face of a significantly changing environment. The report makes a number of helpful observations and recommendations aimed at improving FSS performance, but the most fundamental is that it should be transformed from a trading fund into a Government-owned company as a precursor to development into a private sector classified Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The main risk if the FSS remains as a trading fund is that there would be a sustained and accelerating loss of business. Indeed, some forces are already outsourcing their forensic requirements to alternative suppliers. A cumulative loss of market share could reach a point at which poor trading forced cut-backs in investment, research and development and staffing. I see radical change as the only realistic option to ensure that FSS remains competitive and able to make best use of rapidly advancing science and technology to reduce crime and deliver safer communities.
The report identifies the inherent risks, but makes a clear case for accepting that PPP offers the best means of protecting the public interest and delivering major benefits to the Criminal Justice System (CJS) by enabling FSS to compete effectively. I endorse this approach and the steering group's overall view that the FSS would prosper in a private sector environment, as it clearly reflects the realities of the situation. At a time when demand for forensic analysis in crime investigation is increasing significantly, FSS performance has been mixed. There have been some notable successes, but we need to take steps to improve the service to the wider CJS in terms of timeliness and cost effectiveness. The emergence of a small but effective and dynamic private sector has resulted in an increasingly competitive market in forensic science services, the level and intensity of which is likely to gather pace.
I am confident that the proposed change will stimulate and broaden the market, encouraging CJS customers to make even greater use of forensic science in the fight against crime, and generating momentum through improved investment to enable the increasingly effective use of forensic capabilities. This, in turn, will result in forensic science making a substantially greater contribution to crime reduction. A number of significant logistical issues inevitably need to be addressed, but I believe that all of these challenges can be dealt with successfully in a transitional period as a Government-owned company.
As the report contains commercially sensitive information, a copy of the executive summary has been placed in the Library.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 63WS
UK Passport Service
The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Beverley Hughes): The UK Passport Service Annual Report and Accounts 2002–03 has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Asylum Support Adjudicators
The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Beverley Hughes): Following a request, in 2002, from the Chief Asylum Support Adjudicator for an increase in the Asylum Support Adjudicators' (ASA) salary scale, we undertook a review in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers. The review found there to be a justifiable linkage between the ASAs' salaries and Group 7 of the judicial scale, which the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) accepts. Therefore, with effect from April 2003, the Home Secretary will consider ASA salaries in the light of that linkage and the annual recommendations of the SSRB.
Voluntary and Community Sector
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Fiona Mactaggart): I am today placing in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament copies of the Report of the Fourth Annual Meeting to review the Compact on relations between Government and the voluntary and community sector on 28 April 2003.
The meeting witnessed the momentum achieved in driving the Compact as the framework guiding the relationship between Government and the voluntary and community sector. There was record attendance at this year's meeting. Local Government were represented for the first time, reflecting the need to focus on implementing the Compact at local level. We need to work together with the voluntary and community sector to achieve real change in the way the sector contributes to the delivery of better public services.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |