HC Deb 31 January 2001 vol 362 cc203-4W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the use of professional witnesses to gather information; what his estimate is of the increased use of such witnesses since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [148065]

Mr. Straw

The report "Speaking up for Justice", published in June 1998, recommended that good practice guidelines for the use of professional witnesses in criminal cases should be developed by the Local Government Association in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers. We hope to be in a position to issue such guidelines shortly.

I understand that records are not kept of the number of occasions on which professional witnesses are used.