§ 30. Fiona MactaggartTo ask the Attorney-General what progress he has made on improving collaboration between the Crown Prosecution Service and area police forces in order to reduce delays before cases are brought to court. [87909]
The Attorney-GeneralMeasures designed to bring cases to court within a few days of charge, including provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the location of CPS staff at police stations, have been tested at six pilot sites. Initial indications are that the pilots have worked well and, subject to a satisfactory evaluation, the measures will be implemented in the rest of England and248W Wales in November 1999. Moreover, most CPS Areas and police forces now operate fast-tracking arrangements for a range of casework. Fast-tracking has greatly reduced the time from charge to first appearance, from four or five weeks to a matter of days.