Examination of Witness (Questions 360-361)
30 NOVEMBER 2004
Ms Carol Moore
Q360 Chairman: Could I turn to the relationship
between the various levels of government. Do you have any formal
relationships with the Welsh Assembly? If so, what are they?
Ms Moore: We invite the Welsh
Assembly through the regional crime reduction director to contribute
to a consultative group of the Criminal Justice Board. As board
chair I have also met with the current post-holder (actually
an acting appointment) and that is someone within the Welsh Assembly.
The regional crime reduction director is essentially a Home Office
post but based in the Welsh Assembly Government. The Welsh Assembly
Government have appointed a number of regional or North Wales
based practitioners who contribute to community safety partnerships
and have contact with the criminal justice agencies either through
community safety partnerships or potentially the board's consultative
committee. In fact, one of their most recent appointments is a
former probation officer.
Q361 Chairman: Ms Moore, are there any
issues arising for Criminal Justice Boards in Wales, as compared
to Criminal Justice Boards in England, as a result of the existence
of the Welsh Assembly Government?
Ms Moore: Clearly there is a boundary
and a border with the Minster for Justice portfolio and the community
safety partnerships. The agenda for the future, around Prolific
Priority Offenders, in effect, will put Criminal Justice Boards
into a triangular relationship with London and the Welsh Assembly
Government. I think that is going to be quite a testing agenda,
because it has been quite a discreet boundary with the Welsh Assembly
in terms of the Criminal Justice Board to date, although I am
pleased to say that through the youth offending teams, where there
is a much clearer link with the Welsh Assembly—because the
Welsh Assembly have arrangements with the National Youth Justice
Board—our next conference is going to focus on young offenders.
In fact the Minister for the Welsh Assembly, Edwina Hart,
will actually be contributing to the board's conference next year.
So there is certainly a good relationship there, albeit at some
distance at the moment.
Chairman: Thank you very much, Ms Moore.
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