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The Committee adjourned at nine minutes past seven o'clock.
Written Statements
Tuesday 11 January 2005
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Joint Committee on Security
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The Joint Committee on Security (JCOS) is an advisory committee of members of both Houses appointed by the House Committee in the House of Lords and by the Speaker in the House of Commons to make recommendations to myself and Mr Speaker on the security of the parliamentary estate. Members of the Committee are available to discuss security issues with colleagues. The committee is chaired by Bob Ainsworth MP. The Lords members are: Lord Cope of Berkeley; Lord Davies of Oldham; Lord Hunt of Wirral; Lord Peston; Lord Roper; and Lord Williamson of Horton.
Forensic Science Service
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): On 17 July 2003 my right honourable friend, the then Home Secretary, announced that the Government had accepted the recommendation of the independent review of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) that it should be transformed from a trading fund into a government-owned company (GovCo) prior to development as a public/private partnership (PPP).
Since then, officials have worked closely with the FSS, the police, as the organisation's main customers, and Treasury officials to ensure that we are clear about how the transformation of the FSS can best be managed.
We now have a clearer and more detailed analysis of the business and its prospects, together with its strengths and weaknesses. This confirms the conclusion of the independent review that the trading fund model would not allow the FSS to deliver to its full potential, or indeed to remain at the leading edge of forensic science in the UK and internationally, thus wasting an important asset in our drive to improve detections and reduce the fear of crime.
In particular, the analysis has confirmed that the market for forensic science is changing rapidly in the face of increased competition. The pace of change is accelerating as technology develops and in response to action by police forces and police authorities to achieve strategic market management in line with public procurement best practices.
To ensure that the FSS has the commercial agility and the appropriate governance structure needed to respond to this increasingly dynamic market, the government has decided to transform the FSS into a wholly owned government company.
This will be a transitional structure. In the light of FSS performance as a GovCo the Government will consider what next steps are necessary to facilitate the growth of the business, ensure the future of the FSS, maintain its
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position at the forefront of forensic science, and maximise its contribution to reducing crime and the fear of crime.
The future form and direction of the FSS will stem from a balance between the realisable value to government, the benefits to the business of private sector participation, changes in the forensic science market and the potential future need to access private capital.
The timing of the next stage will depend upon reaching agreement with key stakeholders that conditions are favourable and the move would be advantageous to the business. We will also use the interim period to fully test the merits of the FSS as a government-owned company in its own right.
We recognise the uncertainty for FSS employees, suppliers and customers that a process of this kind entails. The Home Office and the FSS management are working together to ensure that all staff and stakeholders are kept fully informed of the process.
We are aware that many Members whose constituents work for the FSS have made representations about the transformation, but we must ensure that the FSS is able to respond to the changing face of the market and the demands of its customers, and to seize the opportunities presented by emerging technologies, while retaining its public sector mission.
In following this process through we will continue to keep all stakeholders informed.
Bichard Inquiry
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I have today placed in the House Library copies of the Government's progress report on implementing the recommendations of Sir Michael Bichard's inquiry into issues surrounding the Soham murders. All 31 recommendations were accepted by the Government when the inquiry reported in June 2004 and we remain fully committed to delivering the necessary programme of change. In June, Sir Michael made clear his intention to reconvene his inquiry and review progress six months after publishing his findings, and in November he formally requested a report to assist him in doing so. This was sent to him on 22 December.
The progress report is made on behalf of the Government and the range of stakeholders who have contributed to implementation. It indicates that significant progress has been made in taking forward the recommendations, which fall into four main areas: the development of a national IT infrastructure to support the handling of police intelligence and other information; the introduction of a statutory code of practice on police information management; improved measures to protect children and vulnerable adults, including a registration scheme for those wishing to work with these groups; and a range of enhancements to existing vetting processes.
The report sets out what has been achieved in each of these areas, together with plans and milestones for future action. Key areas of delivery are:
The introduction of a national IT system for police information sharing. The IMPACT programme (information management, prioritisation, analysis,
- co-ordination and tasking) has been established to provide a national information-sharing system and to modernise the central information services available through the police national computer. New information-sharing tools will start becoming available to police forces and the Criminal Records Bureau through the police local cross-check system (PLX) from early 2005, and there will be a progressive strengthening of capabilities until completion of the IMPACT programme in 2007;
The production of a statutory code of practice on information management for the police service. A draft code has already been produced and issued for consultation. It is annexed to the progress report and is due to come into force by May 2005. It will be supported by detailed operational guidance to forces and will help to ensure that decisions about reviewing, retaining, deleting and sharing information are taken on a consistent basis;
The development of a registration scheme covering persons considered unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. This is under way and will build on the existing barring lists in providing a comprehensive, centralised, integrated system to prevent unsuitable people gaining access to vulnerable groups through paid or voluntary work. Final decisions on the detail of the scheme will follow a feasibility study which will report early in 2005;
The enhancement of staff recruitment procedures in education to reflect best practice in safeguarding children. New guidance for schools is under development and an initial online training programme will be introduced by spring 2005;
Advice to all social services authorities emphasising the importance of effective information-sharing with the police in relation to actual or alleged offences against children has already been issued. In addition, comprehensive new guidance will be developed by December 2005 as part of the wider guidance on local Safeguarding Children boards;
Significant development and improvements to existing vetting procedures. A quality assurance framework to assist forces in carrying out their roles in the vetting process has been successfully trialled and will be rolled out to all police forces by October 2005.
All these strands of work are being taken forward within a programme structure based on effective joined-up working across the government departments and delivery agencies involved. Training arrangements are being put in place to support implementation, together with targeted inspection and performance measurement regimes to ensure compliance with new and improved systems.
It is vital to ensure the same level of protection for all children and other vulnerable people, wherever they are in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the
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Northern Ireland Office have therefore been closely involved in this programme of work. For some of the recommendations, the route to implementation will differ between jurisdictions, but the objective of effective, integrated systems is the same. The arrangements in different jurisdictions are set out in more detail in the report.
The Government remain totally committed to full implementation of Sir Michael Bichard's recommendations and to ensuring that the necessary resources are available to support the process.
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