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In such circumstances, and following further consideration of Francis Plowden's report with particular regard to the safety of children, I have agreed that the circumstances surrounding the recommendation to abolish court fees are not of sufficient exception to
justify breaking the Government's commitment to giving local authorities financial stability. I have also considered the fact that funding to cover the cost of the fees has been transferred to local authorities up to and including March 2011.
I therefore intend to abolish court fees for care and supervision cases with effect from the next spending review period beginning April 2011. Appropriate adjustments to local authorities' funding will be made at that stage.
The safety and welfare of children is, and always must be, our priority. My decision today means that local authorities can now be certain that they have the £40 million funding for the next financial year to pay for the court proceedings necessary to keep children from harm.
I have placed copies of Francis Plowden's report in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office.
Her Majesty's Courts Service (Key Performance Indicators)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Bridget Prentice): The following list of key performance indicators has been set for Her Majesty's Courts Service for 2010 to 2011:
1. To commence at least 78 per cent. of cases within the following time scales in the Crown Court:
cases that are sent for trial within 26 weeks of sending;
cases that are committed for trial within 16 weeks of committal;
appeals within 14 weeks of the appeal being lodged;
cases that are committed for sentence within 10 weeks of committal.
2. To speed up criminal cases in the magistrates' courts so that, for charged cases, the average time from charge to disposal is less than six weeks.
3. Time taken to produce and send court results to the police:
95 per cent. of court registers produced and despatched within three working days;
100 per cent. of court registers produced and despatched within six working days.
4. To achieve an 85 per cent. payment rate for financial penalties in the magistrates' courts.
5. For 60 per cent. of all breached community penalties to be resolved within 25 working days of the relevant failure to comply.
6. To increase the proportion of defended small claims that are completed otherwise than by court hearing to 65 per cent.
7. To increase the proportion of defended small claims that are completed (from receipt to final hearing) within 30 weeks to at least 70 per cent.
8. Percentage of care and supervision cases that achieve a final outcome for the child within 30, 50 and 80 weeks:
At least 26 per cent. dealt with within 30 weeks;
At least 66 per cent. dealt with within 50 weeks;
At least 92 per cent. dealt with within 80 weeks.
9. To maintain the 'very satisfied' element of the HMCS court user satisfaction survey at or above the 2007-08 baseline of 41 per cent.
More information on these and other key supporting targets are published in the "HM Courts Service Business Plan for 2010-11". Copies of the business plan for 2010-11 have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Prime Minister
Assistant Surveillance Commissioners
The Prime Minister (Mr. Gordon Brown): In accordance with Section 63 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, I have agreed to re-appoint as Assistant Surveillance Commissioners his honour Lord Colville of Culross QC and his honour Dr. Colin Kolbert from 1 May 2010 to 30 April 2013, and his honour Norman Jones QC from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2013.
Women and Equality
Stern Review (Interim Government Response)
The Solicitor-General (Vera Baird): Following discussion with the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Campbell) the Minister with responsibility for crime reduction, I am pleased to make the following statement to the House.
In September last year, the Minister for Women and Equality and the Home Secretary jointly wrote to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, updating him on progress in relation to the Government's consultation on violence against women and girls, and to inform him of our intention jointly to commission a review of the handling of rape complaints.
This review was commissioned within the context of the cross-Government strategy "Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls", which was published on 25 November 2009. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The consultation for the strategy had found that women lack confidence in the criminal justice system (CJS), and that this was particularly in evidence in relation to rape.
There have been improvements in how the CJS responds to complaints of rape, evidenced by the increase in victims reporting rape and more cases taken to court resulting in more convictions than before. In addition, this Government have implemented a series of legislative and policy improvements to the way in which rape complaints are handled, and to ensure that there is a greater focus on victims' needs. And as part of the cross-Government VAWG strategy, we made a commitment to exploring the feasibility of setting up and/or extending scrutiny panels, similar to those currently operated by the CPS in relation to hate crime and domestic violence.
However, high-profile cases in the Metropolitan Police Service had exposed how reluctant many rape victims were to report their experiences to the police, and that further improvements could be made in the handling of those complaints where victims did disclose. In response to these cases, a series of measures to improve the investigation and prosecution of rape to ensure victims received a consistent, high-quality service were announced by the Home Office in April 2009, including an inspection of police forces later this year by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. In addition, and as part of the work for the cross-Government violence against women and girls strategy, the Home Secretary asked Sara Payne to make recommendations on how the criminal justice system's response to rape victims could be improved.
The report of Sara Payne's review was published alongside "Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls".
However, we took the view that a closer look at the barriers preventing full implementation of current policy was required so we could consider further what more could be done to ensure the effective handling of rape by authorities and to deliver a better service to rape victims. On 22 September 2009, we announced that the noble Baroness, Baroness Stern had agreed to carry out an independent review into the handling of rape complaints, reporting jointly to the Government Equalities Office and the Home Office. Today (15 March 2010), Baroness Stern publishes the findings of her review and recommendations for change.
The Government are grateful to Baroness Stern for conducting this probing review and to the many organisations and individuals who contributed their views. The Government welcome her report and insightful analysis, identifying where further work or reforms are needed and setting out the case for embedding lasting change.
Baroness Stern's review of services shows that strong progress has been made. Rapists now face more than a one in two chance of being convicted, and the measures which have been put in place to improve the response to rape complaints are having an impact, with much good practice evident across the country. However there is much more to be done, both to support victims and to help them have the confidence to pursue complaints, and to improve intelligence-led policing. We will be considering Baroness Stern's recommendations carefully on all these points.
In the Government's interim response to the Stern review, published today, we accept the direction set out in Baroness Stern's report and agree that existing good practice needs to be spread throughout England and Wales to ensure that people have the correct advice and treatment, regardless of where they live. Her report poses a number of challenges, as well as 23 recommendations, which we need to consider before responding more fully later this year. In doing so, the Government will focus on eight key areas:
Tackling misconceptions about rape;
Forensic examinations;
Joining up services;
Confidence in the response to rape;
Special measures;
Support and advocacy;
Prevention and support for particularly vulnerable groups;
Dealing with misunderstandings about compensation.
Copies of Baroness Stern's report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are available at www.equalities.gov.uk. Copies of the interim response have been placed in the Library and are available at www.equalities.gov.uk. The Government will make a further report to Parliament later this year, with an action plan detailing our full response to the Stern review.
Work and Pensions
Social Fund Reform
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Yvette Cooper): Today I am publishing the Government's consultation document (Green Paper) on social fund reform. This consultation sets out the package of reforms designed to create a scheme which:
is simpler for customers to understand and use and simpler for our staff to deliver to ensure better value for money;
plays a more active and sustainable role in helping people resolve their longer-term financial needs and supports them to become more financially independent as well as dealing with short-term crises;
is set within the wider context of financial inclusion and education, and is aligned with the range of products and services that the Government deliver for people with complex and enduring needs.
It aims to align the social fund with the Government agenda of financial inclusion and capability, in order to help support the most vulnerable in society towards greater financial independence. It also presents our objectives to ensure that the system is fair, affordable and sustainable for the future. We believe that these proposals will make a very substantial difference to the financial environment experienced by many people.
Copies of the document entitled: "Social Fund reform: debt, credit and low income households" are available in the Vote Office and will be made available later today on the DWP website.
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