§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Solicitor-General if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Hull, North constituency, the effects on Hull, North of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [150621]
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThe Hull branch of the Crown Prosecution has worked closely with the police and courts to implement a number of changes which have reduced delay in the prosecution process. Other changes now in hand aim to improve the preparation of more serious cases for trial in the Crown court.
In October 1999, in line with national policy, the Narey proposals were implemented. Defendants now appear in Hull magistrates court within 36 to 72 hours of being charged by the police. Before this change there was often a delay of four to five weeks. To ensure that all relevant information is available for court, CPS lawyers and caseworkers attend at the police station and liaise with police staff prior to court. This means that in spite of the shorter timescales more cases can be finalised at the first hearing rather than being adjourned.
Further changes in January this year have enabled serious cases such as robbery, rape and murder to get to the Crown court much more quickly. In one recent case a defendant appeared at Hull Crown court only eight days after committing an offence of robbery and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Last year it would have taken around 12 weeks to deal with the case. All these changes illustrate the Government's successful policy of speeding up the work of the criminal justice system.
Progress is being made on the structural changes recommended by Sir Iain Glidewell's review of the CPS. Lay staff known as designated caseworkers now deal with straightforward guilty pleas and road traffic cases in the magistrates court. In Hull they cover eight courts per week which would previously have required a lawyer. The lawyers freed from this routine work are able to spend their time on more serious matters and in June they will form a specialist Trials Unit dedicated to Crown court cases.
Actions and policies of the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Serious Fraud Office affect my hon. Friend's constituency only indirectly.