---

17 Sept 2003 : Column 779W—continued

Waste Disposal

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the choice of waste disposal method by (a) waste disposal authorities and (b) businesses in the event of the introduction of an incinerator tax on the same basis as the landfill tax. [129253]

Mr. Morley: No assessment has been made. In this year's Budget, the Chancellor stated that a review of the environmental and health effects of all waste management and disposal options had been commissioned. The review has yet to be completed but

17 Sept 2003 : Column 780W

we aim to report on its findings later in the year. The case for using economic instruments for incineration will be considered in light of this work, and in consultation with other stakeholders.

Water Pollution

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the problems caused by delays in enforcement action being taken against (a) companies and (b) households discharging pollutants into waterways. [129869]

Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency (the Agency) has powers to ensure that preventative or remedial action is taken to protect the environment or to secure compliance with relevant legislation such as the Water Resources Act 1991 (as amended by the Environment Act 1995), which makes provision regarding discharges to controlled waters. The enforcement action taken by the Agency will be proportionate to the risks posed to the environment and to the seriousness of any breach of the law. The Agency's powers for prosecution are used when it is satisfied that there is sufficient, admissible and reliable evidence that the offence has been committed and that there is a realistic prospect of conviction.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Criminal Justice and Trial Units

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General what percentage of (a) magistrates' court cases and (b) Crown Court cases were dealt with by joint police and Crown Prosecution Service criminal justice units and trials units in 2002–03. [128715]

The Solicitor-General: By the end of 2002–03, 43.4 per cent. of the Crown Prosecution Service's magistrates' court caseload and 27.6 per cent. of its Crown Court caseload were dealt with in collocated Criminal Justice Units and Trial Units.

Crown Prosecution Service

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General in what ways the CPS is contributing to the CJS Case Preparation Project to reform case management in (a) magistrates' courts and (b) the Crown Court. [128725]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is actively supporting this Project, and has been closely involved in its development. At a local level, CPS practitioners are playing a key role in local implementation teams at each of the five pilot sites, and on the Local Criminal Justice Boards responsible for overseeing the delivery of the pilots. At a national level, the CPS has two senior representatives on the project board, and others on the national stakeholder machinery. The CPS has also seconded a senior prosecutor to the project team who is leading the 'production' strand of the project.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General what targets were set by the CPS in 2002–03 on (a) the presentation in court of prosecution cases, (b) the

17 Sept 2003 : Column 781W

testing of defence cases and (c) complying with the duties of disclosure; and what the performance results are of these targets. [128718]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) set a target in 2002–03 for Higher Court Advocates (HCAs) to undertake a minimum amount of advocacy in the Crown Court. The total national requirement was for HCAs to undertake 8,620 sessions; the outturn was 7,217 sessions or 83.7 per cent. No other targets were set in relation to the presentation of prosecution cases in court.

The CPS did not set any target in relation to testing the defence case.

The CPS does not set a target for compliance with disclosure requirements, but performance is monitored by Her Majesty's CPS Inspectorate (HMCPSI) as part of their regular cycle of inspections. The latest published annual data from HMCPSI, for 2001–02, shows that the percentage of cases where primary disclosure was handled properly was 80.4 per cent. and for secondary disclosure it was 75.3 per cent. From 1 April 2003, the CPS has been undertaking formal monitoring of performance on disclosure as part its internal Casework Quality Assurance programme.

Director of Public Prosecutions

Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor-General (1) if she will list the (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) members of the judiciary consulted as part of the selection process which resulted in the appointment of Mr. Ken Macdonald QC as Director of Public Prosecutions. [129242]

(2) if she will make a statement on the appointment of Mr. Ken Macdonald QC as Director of Public Prosecutions; [129244]

(3) if he will list the members of the panels which (a) interviewed and (b) selected Mr. Ken Macdonald QC for the position of Director of Public Prosecutions. [129243]

The Solicitor-General: The appointment of Mr. Ken Macdonald QC as Director of Public Prosecutions was made following a process of fair and open competition.

Advertisements were placed in the national media and legal journals and, as part of the search process, a number of civil servants and members of the judiciary were approached in order to identify suitable candidates.

The selection panel was chaired by the independent First Civil Service Commissioner Baroness Prashar. The other members of the selection panel were Sir Hayden Phillips, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Sir David Omand, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; and Sir Robin Auld, Lord Justice of Appeal. Ken Macdonald QC was recommended for appointment by the panel to the Attorney-General. No other Ministers, civil servants or members of the judiciary, apart from a referee nominated on a confidential basis by Mr. Macdonald, were consulted as part of this process.

17 Sept 2003 : Column 782W

In line with normal practice, the Attorney-General informed the Prime Minister's office that he intended to appoint Ken Macdonald.

Sports Events

Nick Harvey: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) prosecutions and (b) resulting convictions there have been arising from circumstances at British sports events in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of (i) sport and (ii) offence. [129686]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not keep data on prosecutions or convictions arising out of incidents at British sports events. Any data that might be kept by operational units at the CPS could be obtained only by examination of live and concluded case files at disproportionate cost.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Advertising (Children)

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what figures her Department has collated on the (a) proportion of advertising during children's television scheduling that involves marketing of food products and (b) proportion of food advertising during children's television scheduling that involves promotion of food of low nutritional value. [129645]

Estelle Morris: The Department has not undertaken research on food advertising during children's television scheduling. However, figures relating to this issue have been provided to the Department by my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge and others.

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had in the last 12 months with the Department of Health on the issue of food and drink advertising to children. [129646]

Estelle Morris: The Department has had limited discussions with the Department of Health regarding this issue over the last 12 months, in the context of broadcast advertising, but will be represented at the forthcoming meeting of the Department of Health's Food and Health Action Plan Steering Group. The Department is fully supportive of Government initiatives to tackle the problem of child obesity and is working closely with the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills on these as well as developing its own health initiatives relating to increased physical activity, particularly in children.

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received in the last 12 months on the issue of food and drink advertising to children from (a) the advertising industry, (b) the food and drink industry and (c) organisations concerned with providing public health. [129647]

Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not received any formal representations from the advertising industry on the issue of food and drink advertising to children, but is aware of the industry's views. The Department has also had informal discussions with the food and drink industry regarding

17 Sept 2003 : Column 783W

the European Commission's consideration of proposals on broadcast advertising. In May 2003, the Secretary of State met my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge and representatives of several public health promotion organisations to discuss this matter.

---