§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to measure (a) the effects that the Criminal Records Bureau has had on local volunteer development agencies and (b) costs caused by delays. [87250]
§ Hilary BennFrom the outset of work on the development of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), we have been anxious to involve the voluntary sector in the process in order to ensure that the arrangements were appropriate to the needs and circumstances of those within the sector. In order to take this further, now that the CRB is operational, we have established a Voluntary and Community Sector Working Group to provide a specific forum for discussion between the sector and the CRB. The Group has already begun to address issues identified by the sector, including ensuring that there are appropriate and cost-effective arrangements to access the Disclosure service.
The Criminal Records Bureau has a settled policy on the payment of compensation, and, where appropriate, claims for compensation are resolved by an ex gratia payment. Such payments will not be made as a result of delays in processing applications. There must be an element of maladministration in dealing with an application. Ex gratia payments will be made only to applicants and not to employers, potential employers or others.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been assessed by the Criminal Records Bureau; and how many applications are pending. [88522]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 7 January 2003]Since 11 March 2002 the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has received 1,164,784 disclosure applications and has issued over 938,981 disclosures. Many of the total number of applications outstanding, currently 225,803, were returned to applicants to provide missing information. Over the last six full weeks before Christmas the CRB has been averaging around 45,000 disclosures per week, which is over double the weekly output issued by the police under the previous arrangements.
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§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the proportion of Criminal Record Bureau checks(a) carried out and (b) awaiting completion, broken down into the five most frequently active areas. [88703]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 7 January 2003]: The information is not available in the form requested as there are no information technology (IT) procedures at present to extract this data from the Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) database. It is expected that this capacity will become available in future IT upgrades to the CRB computer system. Since 11 March 2002 the Criminal Records Bureau has received 1,164,784 disclosure applications and has issued over 938,981 disclosures. Over the last six full weeks before Christmas the CRB has been averaging around 45,000 disclosures per week, which is over double the weekly output issued by the police under the previous arrangements. Approximately, 80 per cent. of applications for standard disclosures are now being issued within three weeks and 70 per cent. of applications for enhanced disclosures within six weeks.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1)if he will make a statement about the Criminal Record Bureau's organisational preparedness to introduce basic disclosure; [90112]
(2) what recommendations have been presented to him by Patrick Carter in his interim report into Criminal Records Bureau checks; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library;[89992]
(3) when he expects to publish the final report by Patrick Carter into the Criminal Records Bureau; [89981]
(4) when he will publish the interim report from Patrick Carter regarding the performance of (a) Capita and (b) the Criminal Records Bureau. [89986]
§ Hilary BennMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary appointed Patrick Carter to lead a team of three to conduct an independent review of the Criminal Records Bureau so as to identify the longer-term measures needed to ensure that the Bureau is able to meet the demand for Disclosures. The team provided some initial oral feedback to Ministers in September and reported their final conclusions and recommendations at the end of the year. These took the form of advice to Ministers, including advice on matters that are commercially confidential; as such they are not in a form suitable for publication. We shall be considering the review team's findings and recommendations very carefully and are minded to publish a summary document, together with the Government's response, in due course. A judgment will be reached on Basic Disclosures in the light of the team's findings.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment(a) his Department and (b) the Criminal Records Bureau have made of the gaps in coverage by umbrella registered bodies. [90114]
§ Hilary BennThe Criminal Records Bureau maintains a record of umbrella registered bodies by geographical area which shows that there are good numbers of such bodies in each, with the exception of mid and north Wales where numbers are lower. Up to 10 January, a total of 1,199 bodies had so registered, included 520178W who are prepared to act as "open" umbrella—i.e., countersign applications at the request of others outside their own circle or sector (but, in some cases, subject to a geographical restriction stated by the umbrella body on registration). Organisations seeking the services of an umbrella body are not restricted to using those in their own area. Any organisation needing to find an umbrella body should access the Bureau's website www.disclosure.gov.uk which has a search facility. or contact the CRB direct on 0870 90 90 90 811.