HC Deb 17 December 2002 vol 396 cc746-7W
Keith Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the staffing levels are at the Criminal Records Bureau. [86721]

Hilary Benn

There are 1,158 staff employed in the Criminal Records Bureau at its Liverpool and Darwen sites, comprising staff employed by the agency, Capita and sub-contractors.

Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications to the Criminal Records Bureau from addresses in postcode areas CO1, CO2, CO3 and CO4 are awaiting processing; what is the average time the applications have been delayed; and if he will make a statement. [86058]

Hilary Benn

[holding answer 9 December 2002]: As at 9 December, there are 562 Disclosure applications awaiting processing from applicants who live in postcode areas C01, C02, CO3 and C04. The average delay is estimated to be eight weeks, although this includes a significant number of applications which have been returned to the applicant for more information which is still awaited. On average, recent correctly completed applications are taking five weeks to process.

Delays in the Disclosure process continue to be a subject of some concern. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's independent review team are taking a fundamental look at all aspects of the Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB's) operation with a view to identifying medium to long term improvements. They will report to the Home Secretary shortly.

The CRB has already implemented a range of improvements to processes and working practices and the intensive focus on improvements is already yielding results. Over the last two weeks the CRB has been averaging around 43,500 Disclosures per week, which is double the weekly output issued by the police under the previous arrangements. Since 11 March the CRB has received 1,023,000 applications and issued over 755,000 Disclosures.

Table: Persons convicted of 'trafficking' offences involving heroin and cannabis, Nottinghamshire and Great Britain, 1998–2000
Nottinghamshire Great Britain1
Drug and offence 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000
Heroin
Unlawful supply 12 68 69 1,378 1,760 1,832
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 24 38 55 1,311 1,454 1,502
Unlawful import/export2 n/a n/a n/a 38 34 3110
Cannabis
Unlawful supply 48 55 40 3,038 2,701 1,886
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 86 61 60 4,898 4,206 3,282
Unlawful import/export2 n/a n/a n/a 313 315 3451
1Conviction data from 1997 onwards are not currently available for Northern Ireland.
2 Data from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are only available at a UK level.
3 Estimated from court appearance data for England and Wales.

Sources:

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Court Proceedings Database and Drugs and Alcohol Research Unit