HC Deb 15 October 2003 vol 411 cc258-9W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the CCRC is taking to(a) ensure clear communication and (b) promote awareness and understanding among its stakeholders. [128884]

Paul Goggins

The Commission's communications strategy concentrates on promoting awareness and understanding among its stakeholders. It disseminates widely an information pack and other materials that clarify its role and powers. These include press releases and feature articles, an audiotape and videotape ("Open to Question", which has received an international award). It also operates the website http://www.ccrc.gov.uk and a 24-hour media inquiry service. Commission staff frequently give lectures and presentations on the Commission, and visit other agencies in the criminal justice system. A second workshop for selected stakeholders was held in July 2003.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pieces of new legislation have been stimulated by the CCRC's casework. [128848]

Paul Goggins

To 31 March 2003, the Commission's casework has stimulated only one piece of new legislation: the Criminal Cases Review (Insanity) Act 1999.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by the CCRC to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the case review process. [128850]

Paul Goggins

Efforts are continually being mad by the Commission to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the case review process, without compromising its commitment to reviewing each case thoroughly. For case review, as for any of its processes, the Commission's goals must satisfy five distinct criteria. They must bespecific, i.e. define a precise process modification to be made, or numerical performance standard to be reached; payoff-oriented, i.e. be defined to achieve improvements in effectiveness, efficiency and/or economy; intrinsically rewarding, otherwise staff will not be motivated to achieve them; realistic, otherwise staff are likely to be demotivated by them; and observable, i.e. it must be possible to determine unambiguously whether or not they have been achieved.

These are stringent requirements, and imply that the necessary planning, resource allocation and monitoring processes are implemented to achieve and observe them. Much of the Commission's routine managerial effort is directed to continuous improvement of its processes by the definition and implementation of process goals. Whenever special process review seems appropriate, the Chairman convenes an internal Process Improvement Group (PIG), which may then set up specific Process Improvement Projects (PIPs).