HC Deb 16 July 1990 vol 176 cc399-400W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to recruit extra staff to replace the 24 police liaison officers in the forensic science laboratories, who are being shed as a result of the current forensic science service reorganisation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Police liaison officer attachments to the FSS will be phased out by April 1991 as part of the Government's programme of civilianisation of non-operational posts. Replacement is planned over this year and next.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated effect on(a) the existing backlog of case work and (b) in-house work in the forensic science service, of scientists being taken off existing work to participate in project work and implementation teams, for the current reorganisation of the service; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I am pleased to say that the staff of the forensic science service have been fully involved in all the work and changes necessary to introduce direct charging and become an executive agency in April 1991. This has been to the benefit of in-house work. The number of cases waiting to be examined has grown recently for a number of reasons including this one. We expect this position to be remedied with the changes now in place.