HC Deb 24 June 1998 vol 314 cc520-2W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for case review have been received by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each month since its establishment. [46406]

Mr. Michael

The Criminal Cases Review Commission was empowered to investigate possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 31 March 1997. Thirty two applications had been made to the Commission before that date, and 252 cases were transferred to the Commission from the Home Office and Northern Ireland Office. The numbers of applications received each month since then are as follows:

Number
1997
April 129
May 108
June 76
July 96
August 102
September 92
October 76
November 97
December 58
1998
January 80
February 85
March 97
April 105
May 96

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many case workers have been employed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each month since its establishment. [46407]

Mr. Michael

The numbers of case review managers (caseworkers) employed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission who have started work each month since the Commission was established, and the total strength, are as follows:

Start work Total strength
1997
January 0 0
February 3 3
March 6 9
April 1 10
May 0 10
June 4 14
July 2 16
August 1 17
September 3 20
October-December 0 20
1998
January 2 22
February 1 23
March 1 24
April-May 0 24
June 2 26

In addition, one further case review manager is due to join the Commission this month. This will bring the Commission's total case review manager strength to 27.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will review the number of staff available to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for the review of cases; [46408]

(2) what proposals he has to increase the budget of the Criminal Cases Review Commission to deal with increases in casework. [46409]

Mr. Michael

We are considering with the Commission its current resource requirements.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all staff by grade employed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. [46410]

Mr. Michael

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has 14 members and at present employs nine executive staff (including the Chief Executive, the Director of Finance and Personnel, two Legal Advisers, the Head of Information, the Investigations Adviser and the Operations Manager); 26 case review managers; and 15 administrative and support staff.