HC Deb 01 July 2003 vol 408 c255W
Mr. Ruffley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the additional costs to voluntary organisations(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Suffolk of the Criminal Records Bureau's increase in standard and enhanced disclosure fees. [120415]

Paul Goggins

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 26 June 2003,Official Report, column 918W.

Magistrates courts data April to June 2002 July to September 2002 October to December 2002
(a) Total number of trials listed 45,431 46,179 45,608
(b) Number of trials vacated before the trial date 4,697 5,476 4,893
(c) Number of trials vacated before the hearing date because the prosecution were not ready for trial 305 392 338
(d) Trials vacated before the hearing date because the prosecution were not ready for trial as percentage of total trials listed 0.67 0.85 0.74

There is no similar joint scheme presently in existence across Crown court centres. Work is presently being undertaken between the Crown Prosecution Service and Department of Constitutional Affairs to develop a common scheme for implementation later this year. Pilot schemes have been undertaken in Dorset, Surrey and London since March 2003 with promising results.