HC Deb 26 June 2003 vol 407 cc1197-8
20. Mr. David Kidney (Stafford)

What plans she has to train more Crown Prosecution Service staff to become qualified lawyers. [121686]

The Solicitor-General (Ms Harriet Harman)

This week, the CPS law scholarship programme was launched. This will give full financial sponsorship to CPS administrative and clerical staff to qualify as lawyers. The importance of the scheme is that it will extend opportunities, broaden the legal profession and give the CPS a supply of home-grown lawyers.

Mr. Kidney

My right hon. and learned Friend deserves much credit for the law scholarship scheme, whose launch I attended with her on Tuesday. I congratulate her on that achievement. I am pleased for the CPS staff who will benefit from the self-improvement that the scheme offers, but does she agree that the real praise should go to the CPS for taking up the scheme? It represents the most efficient use of resources and it is bound to help with recruitment and retention in the years to come.

The Solicitor-General

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments, and I shall pass on his warm words of welcome to where they belong—that is, to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the human resource team in the CPS and the chief Crown prosecutors. The previous discussion in the House was about improving access to education and training, but the point of the programme is that it can be very expensive to qualify as a lawyer. The fees alone can amount to £13,500. It also costs a lot—up to £20,000—for the CPS to recruit a lawyer. Instead of spending money recruiting lawyers from outside, the aim is to recruit administrative and clerical people who have ability, commitment and intelligence but who have never had the opportunity. The scheme will also strengthen the legal profession, which will be more diverse and therefore have more legitimacy.

Mr. Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath)

I welcome what the Solicitor-General has said about currently employed CPS staff training as lawyers. However, will she ensure that during training they are also given specific and detailed guidance on the use of expert witnesses? That is especially important in light of the answer given yesterday in another place by the Attorney-General in connection with the tragic cases of Sally Clarke and Trupti Patel. Does she agree that it is crucial that all parts of the CPS are very careful in the use of expert witnesses, especially in tragic cases such as that?

The Solicitor-General

Indeed, I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance, and I shall go further. He has asked before about matters arising from the Sally Clarke case, and I undertook to tell the House, after the Court of Appeal's written judgment was handed down, about the action that the CPS intended to take. In relation to current and existing cases involving either Dr. Williams or Professor Meadows as expert witnesses, guidance has been issued to the CPS about full disclosure of the Court of Appeal judgment on the defence. There will also be scrutiny and review of past cases in which convictions may have been secured on the evidence of Dr. Williams, to ensure that lessons are learned. I remind the House that, although serious issues were involved. neither the Court of Appeal in the Sally Clarke case nor the court of first instance in the Trupti Patel case made any criticism of the CPS.

Mr. Andy Reed (Loughborough)

While it is important to improve the quality and training of CPS staff, does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that it is necessary that they make the right decisions? In Leicestershire and in my constituency of Loughborough in particular, a number of cases against local drug dealers have been lost. Everybody on the estate knew who they were, the police put enormous cases together and we were all confident that we could get a prosecution, but the local CPS plea-bargained and got those people off with only a light fine.

It is necessary to improve the quality of the service that is provided. Will my right hon. and learned Friend give an assurance that that will be done to ensure that local people benefit from decent prosecution and that people who deserve t o be put away are put away?

The Solicitor-General

My hon. Friend's question raises a number of important points, which are being addressed by the CPS. The CPS needs to work closely with the police and to focus on the effect of its decisions on victims and witnesses. That is certainly happening. I remind the House, however, that the CPS must be sure that there is enough evidence, that the jury or the magistrates are more likely than not to convict, and that prosecution is in the public interest. That is the basis on which the CPS reviews cases.

I take the points made by my hon. Friend. It might be a good idea for him to raise them in discussion with the chief Crown prosecutor in his area, who would, I am sure, look forward to working with him.