§ 30. Mr. Jacques ArnoldTo ask the Attorney-General what progress is being made in achieving a higher level of criminal prosecutions.[25664]
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Crown Prosecution Service and the police are working together on a number of initiatives to bring the right cases promptly to court. They include the introduction of further charging standards, guidance on case preparation and measures to assist the police with early advice.
§ Mr. ArnoldMy right hon. and learned Friend will remember that, when the CPS was introduced, the confidence of the public and many policemen was damaged by the extent to which court cases did not even get to court, let alone achieve a successful conviction. Can my right hon. and learned Friend tell us about the improvements that have been made, because the public want villains to be caught, to appear in court and to be sent to prison?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe public, my hon. Friend and I are at one with the police and the CPS in wanting 767 wrongdoers brought promptly to trial and, if convicted, properly sentenced. I can tell my hon. Friend that, since its early days, when the CPS was undermanned and it was difficult to find staff, it has made enormous strides. It is now working closely with the police, there is mutual help from each side and, as my hon. Friend will know, there is now an experiment under which Crown prosecutors are put into busy police stations so that they can give immediate advice where required. I believe that that will help to achieve exactly the result that my hon. Friend would want.
§ Mr. SkinnerShould not the Government accept some of that advice—because they have practised fraud on the British people for the past 17 years? That has been made worse because, during the past few days, it has become apparent that members of the Tory party, who are supposed to sign the Register of Members' Interests, are intent on misleading—it could be described as fraud—because they intend to tell the British people and the commissioner that they will not reveal how much money they are making from moonlighting. If they intend to practise the art of deception, surely other people outside the House are bound to copy them.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe British people would be wise to watch and listen to everything that the hon. Gentleman says, given the fellow feelings among his hon. Friends on the Opposition Benches. While they are looking at the right hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair), they might also glance into the woods, to right and left, to see what is lurking behind him.