HC Deb 11 November 1991 vol 198 cc350-1W
Mr. Carrington

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement concerning the inter-agency steering group appointed to prepare plans for the implementation of the report of the working group on pre-trial issues.

The Attorney General

The Lord Chancellor, the Home Secretary and I have approved the implementation plan submitted recently by the steering group. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

In the preparation of the plan, the steering group consulted organisations and professional bodies with a direct interest in the working group's report. The steering group concluded that the interdependent nature of the recommendations means that it is necessary to implement the report as a package to achieve worthwhile improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of pre-trial and court procedures, for example the proposed national time guidelines for the progress of cases will only be realised if the police produce the standard of prosecution files required, the Crown prosecution service—CPS—serves advance information on the defence by the first hearing date, and the courts revise listing practices.

The police, the CPS and the courts are required to adopt new approaches to their work which will substantially improve the quality of services provided to victims, witnesses, defendants and others involved in criminal proceedings. The agencies concerned have demonstrated their determination to act by the steps already taken to implement some of the recommendations. The majority of the recommendations will be implemented over the next two years, and those with significant resource implications will come into effect as the funds become available. The implementation dates allow for the introduction of certain recommendations, for example typed dual police files, in stages which reflect the degree of change required in different police forces, CPS areas and court centres.

Because of the inter-related nature of recommendations it may be some time before the full benefits are seen to have been achieved across the system as a whole. My ministerial colleagues and I are nevertheless satisfied that there is a very positive joint commitment to ensure progress in the shortest possible time scale.