HC Deb 02 March 1998 vol 307 cc698-9
10. Mr. Sheerman

What measures he is taking to tackle delays in the criminal justice system. [30348]

Mr. Straw

The Government are acting to tackle delay throughout the criminal justice system. The Crime and Disorder Bill provides for statutory time limits that will be tougher for young offenders than for adults, and tougher still for persistent young offenders.

Mr. Sheerman

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on that. I am sure that my constituents and people who want a Government of law and order are very happy that we have moved so quickly to implement what we said in our election manifesto. He knows better than most of the number of vested interests in the legal system, so will he be vigilant and keep a monitoring brief on judges, banisters, solicitors and the Crown Prosecution Service, all of which seem to have a vested interest in delay and delay, as that means more money for them?

Mr. Straw

I accept what my hon. Friend says. Not only are we keeping an eye on the vested interests, but we shall be setting them clear targets. A number of magistrates courts have already proved that our policy can be implemented. Teesside magistrates court, for example, has introduced a fast-track system for young offenders to reduce the time between charges being made and any trial to six weeks—or 42 days—which more than halves the time that it usually takes to deal with persistent offenders. I congratulate Teesside on that.

Mr. Soames

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that justice delayed is justice denied, and that everything that he can do to speed up the dispensation of justice will be welcome? Will he and his right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General consider carefully whether the Crown Prosecution Service has adequate financial resources? I recently visited the CPS local office in Horsham, which is doing an extremely good job, but there is no doubt that it is short of barristers and short of money. I should be grateful if he could tell me what he can do about that.

Mr. Straw

I shall certainly write to the hon. Gentleman on the specific point that he raises. He may know that a major inquiry into the running of the CPS by the former High Court judge Sir Ian Glidewell has been under way since just after the election. It will report shortly and, I believe, lead to major improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the CPS.