London West Euro-constituency

HC Deb 28 February 1984 vol 55 cc99-100W

Mr. Shersby

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Uxbridge Gazette that local newspapers were not notified

	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83
	£	£	£	£	£
Salaries	2,724,220	3,464,273	4,701,916	5,241,007	5,660,897
Building construction and land purchase	917,234	875,695	1,517,570	2,009,283	1,958,915
Purchase of plant vehicles and machinery	535,568	742,599	834,367	1,018,678	1,167,946
Other costs	2,129,294	2,916,911	3,170,458	3,404,056	3,341,627
Total	6,306,316	7,999,478	10,224,311	11,673,024	12,129,385

Note: The figures include, under "other costs", part of the cost of the Metropolitan police laboratory, in respect of services provided by that laboratory —which is not part of the Home Office forensic science service—for police forces other than the Metropolitan police.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the procedure that is followed by the forensic science service when a judge makes a criticism, either major or minor, of evidence given by a member of the Department; and if he will list the last five occasions when a criticism was made, giving the date and the names of the judge, the forensic scientist and the defendant.

Mr. Brittan

The information requested in the second part of this question is not available. The action taken in any particular case would depend on the nature of the criticism.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will accede to any requests from people convicted of an offence for the names of any of his Department's forensic scientists who gave evidence against them at the trial.

by the Boundary Commission of the hearing relating to the boundary changes of the London West Euro-constituency and were denied access to transcripts of the hearings; and if he will take steps (a) to ensure that the transcripts are made available and (b) that all local newspapers are informed of such hearings in future.

Mr. Mellor

My right hon. and learned Friend received written representations about these matters from the editor of the Uxbridge and HillingdonGazette on 16 February 1984, together with a copy of similar representations to the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England. The way in which a parliamentary boundary commission conducts its affairs is entirely a matter for that commission and he has no power to intervene. I understand from the commission that transcripts of public inquiries are made available where it is practicable to do so and that the commission has written to the editor of the Uxbridge Gazette informing him of this.