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28 Oct 2008 : Column 980W—continued

Magistrates court
	Guilty pleas	%	Proofs in absence	%	Conviction after trial	%	Total convictions	%	Unsuccess ful outcomes	%	Total prosecutions
1998-99	811,335	64.3	113,426	9.0	43,993	3.5	968,754	76.8	292,106	23.2	1,260,860
1999-2000	824,888	64.5	117,396	9.2	40,163	3.1	982,447	76.8	297,146	23.2	1,279,593
2000-01	774,453	64.0	116,953	9.7	35,117	2.9	926,523	76.5	284,124	23.5	1,210,647
2001-02	781,878	64.2	114,509	9.4	33,251	2.7	929,638	76.4	287,743	23.6	1,217,381
2002-03	811,583	63.9	126,518	10.0	35,834	2.8	973,935	76.7	295,728	23.3	1,269,663
2003-04	800,525	63.4	152,757	12.1	40,167	3.2	993,449	78.7	268,376	21.3	1,261,825
2004-05	716,082	62.2	169,681	14.7	42,432	3.7	928,195	80.6	223,709	19.4	1,151,904
2005-06	674,925	63.2	168,874	15.8	38,038	3.6	881,837	82.6	185,524	17.4	1,067,361
2006-07	646,181	65.4	150,741	15.3	34,979	3.5	831,901	84.2	156,080	15.8	987,981
2007-08	652,018	67.5	139,618	14.4	36,899	3.8	828,535	85.7	138,091	14.3	966,626

Crown Prosecution Service: Standards

David Taylor: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations she has received on the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if she will make a statement. [230368]

The Solicitor-General: The Attorney-General and I maintain an active overview of the performance of the CPS, and carefully consider all representations received. In addition to the CPS’ published Performance Management Information, HM Crown Prosecution Inspectorate reports to the Attorney-General on particular aspects of CPS performance and on its regular inspections
28 Oct 2008 : Column 981W
of each CPS area. To ensure that we have an opportunity to discuss any performance issues, as well as wider policy questions, we have frequent meetings with the DPP and chief executive. The CPS has, of course, a full complaints procedure, which the Attorney-General oversees, and MPs have the opportunity to raise with me any aspect of the CPS’ performance which causes them concern.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General how much was spent on overnight accommodation by Law Officers Departments officials in the last 12 months. [228781]

The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the amount spent on overnight accommodation for the last 12 months, for civil servants within the Law Officers’ Departments:

28 Oct 2008 : Column 982W

	Total cost of overnight accommodation (£)
Attorney-General’s Office	5,534.78
Crown Prosecution Service	(1)1,384,269
Serious Fraud Office	243,041.84
Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office	112,096.86
Treasury Solicitors Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate	(1)26,750
(1) This includes some night subsistence and other allowances, which cannot be readily separated from the costs of overnight accommodation.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by her Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. [228744]

The Solicitor-General: The number of people recruited over the ages of 55 and 60 in 2007-08 is illustrated in the following table.

	(a) Over 55		(b) Over 60
	Number of new recruits in 2007-08	Percentage of total new recruits	Number of new recruits in 2007-08	Percentage of total new recruits
Attorney-General’s Office	0	0	0	0
Treasury Solicitor’s Department	2	1.8	1	0.9
Crown Prosecution Service	31	4	13	1.6
Serious Fraud Office	2	4.88	0	0
Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office	0	0	0	0
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate	1	16.67	0	0

Departmental Security

Chris Huhne: To ask the Solicitor-General how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in (i) the Attorney-General’s Office and (ii) the agency sponsored by the Office in each year since 2001. [228958]

The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the number of passes lost and stolen by staff in the Law Officers’ Departments since 2001.

	Attorney-General’s Office( 1)		Treasury Solicitor’s Department( 2)		Crown Prosecution Service		Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office( 3)		HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate( 4)		Serious Fraud Office
	Lost	Stolen	Lost	Stolen	Lost	Stolen	Lost	Stolen	Lost	Stolen	Lost	Stolen
2001	—	—	—	—	12	2	—	—	—	—	12	1
2002	—	—	—	—	3	3	—	—	—	—	5	3
2003	—	—	—	—	2	47	—	—	—	—	5	0
2004	—	—	—	—	3	51	—	—	—	—	5	0
2005	—	—	8	5	1	2	—	—	—	—	10	0
2006	—	—	49	2	8	22	—	—	2	0	8	0
2007	3	0	166	7	5	7	4	1	3	0	16	2
2008	3	0	105	2	3	5	—	—	—	—	—	—
(1) Prior to 2007, this was recorded by the Treasury Solicitor’s Department. (2) Figures are not available before August 2005. (3) Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) came into being on 18 April 2005 and until November 2007, the control of building security passes was the responsibility of HM Revenue and Customs. RCPO does not have access to their records. (4) HMCPSI figures are calculated for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

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