§ 60. Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General what representation he has received on staffing levels and rates of pay in the Crown Prosecution Service.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI understand that the Director of Public Prosecutions has received a number of representations about staffing levels and also about certain matters concerning pay. Many of the matters raised have now been satisfactorily dealt with; others are being actively pursued.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General whether he proposes to take any steps to bring into line the pay of those who transferred into the Clown Prosecution Service from the County Prosecution Service, as senior crown prosecutors and those recruited as senior crown prosecutor or promoted to senior crown prosecutor from within the service.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 8 July, c. 6]: After many months of discussion an agreement was reached between the Crown Prosecution Service and two of the three trade unions with which it had been negotiating on the subject of the relative pay of those who transferred to the service and those who were subsequently recruited or promoted. Although the third trade union, the Association of First Division Civil Servants, was not a party to the agreement, it did not oppose its implementation. To date, 88 senior crown prosecutors have benefited financially under the terms of the agreement. Consideration of further cases continues.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General how many persons have been seconded to other areas to meet or assist in the shortfall of staff in London and elsewhere in the month of May 1987; and what has been the average cost of secondment per person in the payment of expenses.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July, c. 6]: 54 persons were seconded in the month of May 1987, all volunteers. The average cost of secondment per person in the payment of expenses is £329 per week in London and £256 per week elsewhere.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General how many staff who resigned from the Crown Prosecution Service are (a) chief crown prosecutors, (h)branch prosecutors, (c) senior crown prosecutors and (d) crown prosecutors, between 1 April 1986 and 30 March 1987.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July, c. 6]: The figures are as follows:
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Crown Prosecution Service Staff: End May 1987 Number of posts as at 30 May 1987 Staff-in-post as at30 May 1987 Prof Non-Prof Prof Non-Prof London/South East Region Inner London 130 278 81.0 189.5 London North 96 167 51.0 143.5 London South 87 129 47.0 117.5 Beds/Herts 47 60 25.0 49.5 Essex 32 49 26.0 39.0
- (a) none
- (b) none
- (c) 28
- (d) 35
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General what representations he has received from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and chief constables elsewhere with regard to the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July, c. 6]: I have received no such representations.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General what steps he intends to take to attract further recruits into the Crown Prosecution Service in order to fill the vacant posts, particularly in London and the home counties.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1987, c. 6]: The Crown Prosecution Service is actively seeking recruits. Each month the Civil Service Commission conducts recruitment interviews on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service for crown prosecutor posts throughout England and Wales and senior crown prosecutor posts in London. In addition, two national recruitment agencies have been approached to identify eligible staff as potential recruits to the service. The opportunity of careers within the CPS is also being brought to the attention of students and legally qualified persons by publicising the service in university journals and legal magazines. The service will also be featured in "Graduate Opportunities", an annual careers publication.
A further measure to alleviate the shortage of lawyers in London is the offer of an allowance which would be payable to crown prosecutors, senior crown prosecutors and grade 6 officers in the area. The possibility of an extension of that allowance to certain areas around London is now being actively considered.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General (1) how many posts there were for each of the Crown Prosecution Service areas in the London areas and throughout England and Wales as at 30 May 1987 for (a) professional and (b) non-professional personnel;
(2) how many persons were in post in each Crown Prosecution Service area as at 30 May 1987 in (a) professional and (b) non-professional posts.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1987, c. 5]: The required information is given in the following table which shows the number of posts and the numbers of staff in post as at 30 May 1987. "Professional" has been interpreted as meaning a barrister or a solicitor. The Crown Prosecution Service also employs members of other professions such as accountants.
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Number of posts as at 30 May 1987 Staff-in-post as at 30 May 1987 Prof Non-Prof Prof Non-Prof Kent 44 61 31.0 49.0 Regional total 436 744 261.0 588.0 South West Region Avon/Somerset 42 62 29.0 43.0 Devon/Cornwall 37 43 29.0 38.0 Dorset/Hants 66 84 52.0 73.0 Gloucester/Wilts 27 41 20.0 32.0 Gwent/South Wales 76 103 61.5 74.0 Sussex 41 52 32.0 42.0 Thames Valley 53 74 34.5 60.0 West Mercia 32 38 18.5 35.0 Regional total 374 497 276.5 397.0 Midlands Region Cambridge/Lincs 34 48 26.0 38.0 Derbyshire 28 41 19.0 33.0 Humberside 25 42 19.0 36.0 Leicester/Northants 38 57 21.0 44.0 Norfolk/Suffolk 34 45 25.0 38.0 Nottinghamshire 39 54 35.5 44.0 Staffs/Warwick 41 58 27.0 57.0 West Midlands 91 124 61.0 100.0 Regional total 330 469 233.5 390.0 Northern Region Cheshire 31 40 26.0 36.0 Cleveland/North Yorks 46 64 37.0 56.0 Cumbria/Lancs 66 76 54.0 66.0 Durham/Northumbria 70 103 52.0 71.0 North Wales 40 54 33.0 45.5 Greater Manchester 122 129 83.0 100.0 Merseyside 74 107 56.0 105.0 South Yorkshire 43 60 33.0 51.0 West Yorkshire 74 106 60.0 91.0 Regional total 566 739 434.0 622.0
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General (1) how many posts there were for the Crown Prosecution Service areas in the London area and throughout England and Wales as at 30 May 1986 for (a) professional and (b) non-professional personnel;
(2) how many persons were in post in each Crown Prosecution Service as at 30 May 1986 in (a) professional and (b) non-professional posts.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July, c. 5–6]: The required information is given in the following table which shows the number of posts and the number of
Crown Prosecution Service staff: end May 1986 Number of posts Staff in post Professional Non-professional Professional Non-professional Greater Manchester 93 102 78 93.0 Merseyside 72 89 56 97.0 Northumbria/Durham 56 75 46 61.0 South Yorkshire 39 43 38 43.0 West Midlands 84 101 68 105.5 West Yorkshire 70 86 64 81.0
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General how many persons are in post as (a) chief crown prosecutors,
50Wstaff in post as at the end of May 1986 for those Crown Prosecution Service areas which were fully operational at that date. During the early months of the Crown Prosecution Service operation, there was considerable movement of staff between areas. As a result, staff in post records at area level on a specific date may not be completely reliable.
"Professional" has been interpreted as meaning a barrister or a solicitor. The Crown Prosecution Service also employs members of other professions, such as accountants.
(b) branch prosecutors, (e) senior crown prosecutors and (d) crown prosecutors, indicating how many are male and female.
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§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 6 July, c. 6]The numbers are as follows:
- (a) 31
- (b) 89
- (c) 436
- (d) 626
Figures as to how many of these post holders are male and how many are female are not kept and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General (1) whether he proposes to set up specialised training courses for solicitors employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in juvenile cases;
(2) whether he proposes to continue the policy of having specialist lawyers to deal with juvenile prosecutions in England and Wales;
(3) how many Crown Prosecution Service areas have specialist lawyers or departments to deal with juvenile prosecutions; and how many people are so employed in each area in England and Wales.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 7 July, c. 85]: Specialised training courses for CPS lawyers, whether solicitors or barristers, engaged in juvenile cases were set up last year. Since then seven courses have been held centrally and 161 CPS lawyers, from all 31 Areas of the CPS, have attended. In addition, some areas have conducted training courses on a local basis in order to increase the number of specialist lawyers available. Such courses have aimed to replicate the objectives of the centrally-held courses. Future training needs are being reviewed.
The CPS continues to recognise the special considerations affecting juvenile cases, and the need to ensure that laywers responsible for them are fully aware of such considerations.
All 31 areas of the the CPS have in post a specialised lawyer or lawyers. The number of lawyers so designated in each Area is as follows:
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Number Avon and Somerset 6 Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire 3 Cheshire 8 Cleveland/North Yorkshire 9 Derbyshire 2 Devon and Cornwall 6 Dorset/Hampshire 7 Essex 5 Gloucestershire/Wiltshire 2 Greater Manchester 6 Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire 3 Humberside 2 Kent 9 Lancashire/Cumbria 3 Leicestershire/Northamptonshire 3 London (Inner) 10 London (North) 9 London (South and Surrey) 6 Merseyside 16 Norfolk/Suffolk North Wales/Dyfed Powys 5 Northumbria/Durham 7 Nottinghamshire 5 South Wales/Gwent 8 South Yorkshire 3 Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 Sussex 4 Thames Valley 8
Number West Mercia 2 West Midlands 8 West Yorkshire 11 The number of specialist lawyers in an area and the extent to which specialisation is reflected in the internal arrangements for handling juvenile cases is determined by a variety of local factors.