HC Deb 08 December 1988 vol 143 cc334-5W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the responsibilities of a branch Crown prosecutor; and if he will make a statement.

The Attorney-General

The responsibilities of a branch Crown prosecutor will vary depending on the characteristics of the branch for which he is responsible and the duties delegated to him by the chief Crown prosecutor for the area. They will include responsibility for the management of staff and other resources within the branch, and responsibility for all casework allocated to the branch.

A branch Crown prosecutor may have responsibility for some 10 to 35 lawyers and a similar number of support staff. The additional responsibility involved in running a large branch is recognised by a higher Civil Service grading and by support from assistant branch Crown prosecutor posts.

The numbers of staff managed by branch Crown prosecutors and the grading of their duties are currently the subject of internal review.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Attorney-General if he will set out the scale of salaries for a branch Crown prosecutor(a) in London, (b) in the shire counties, and (c) in the metropolitan counties; and if he will make a statement.

The Attorney-General

In London and most metropolitan areas branch Crown prosecutors posts are held by officers at grade 5 level; elsewhere they are held by officers at grade 6 level. The relevant salary scales for all areas except the shire counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are as follows:

Grade 5
effective from
1 October 1988 1 April 1989
27,087 28,170
28,154 29,280
29,255 30,425
30,3871 31,6021
31,5362 32,8262
32,7842 34,0952
23,0532 35,4152
35,3712 36,7862
Grade 6
19,905 21,633
20,801 22,606
22,715 23,624
24,805 25,797
27,0871 28,1701
28,1542 29,2802
29,2552 30,4252
30,3872 31,6022
31,5632 32,8262

Grade 6 branch Crown prosecutors in the shire areas of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are paid at the following rate:

effective from
1 October 1988 1 April 1989
22,226 23,624
23,226 24,686
24,805 25,797
27,087 28,170
28,1541 29,2801
29,2552 30,4252
30,3872 31,6022
31,5632 32,8262
32,7842 34,0952
London weighting allowance is payable where appropriate.

1 Scale maximum.

2 Performance points.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Attorney-General what is the level of London weighting allowance given to a branch of Crown prosecutor; if there are any plans to review the present position; and if he will make a statement.

The Attorney-General

The relevant scales of London weighting allowance payable to branch Crown prosecutors are as follows:

£per annum
Inner London 1,750
Intermediate London 1,000
Outer London 725

Levels of London weighting are determined centrally for the Civil Service as a whole and are subject to regular review.

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