HC Deb 08 February 1995 vol 254 cc251-2W
Mr. Brazier

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the steering group on child evidence will next meet; and what policy decisions arose from the last meeting.

Mr. Maclean

The steering group on child evidence will next meet on 23 March.

At its last meeting, the steering group discussed the causes of delay in bringing child abuse cases to court, and the action being taken by the relevant agencies to reduce delays.

Mr. Brazier

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned in respect of delays faced by child witnesses in cases of alleged abuse; and if he will outline the scope of any such research project.

Mr. Maclean

The Home Office and the Department of Health are funding research by Ms Joyce Plotnikoff and Mr. Richard Woolfson into the delays in bringing prosecutions in child abuse cases. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's policy to give priority to such prosecutions, to identify factors causing delay and to recommend mechanisms for reducing delays.