HC Deb 19 June 2003 vol 407 cc372-5W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the(a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) other conferences sponsored by her Department and which took place on nondepartmental premises in the last 12 months, broken down by title, purpose, date and cost. [104269]

The Solicitor-General

A holding reply was given on 25 March 2003.

The Crown Prosecution Service holds a number of events of this kind throughout the year. The Crown Prosecution Service does not keep a central record of all such events across England and Wales and could not obtain such information without incurring disproportionate cost. However, I am able to list those events that were national or international rather than local and these are shown in the table. The total cost of the 17 events for which information is held was £268,122.

Event Place Purpose Date Cost
Prosecuting Agencies Garden, London prosecuting agencies to share knowledge of information systems and to explore ways of closer networking
National CPS Training conference Belton Woods Hotel, Grantham To address training issues, share ideas look at the development of trainers within the CPS May 2002 £3,000
Higher Court Advocates Conference Nottingham Royal Moat House Development of HCA's and HCA tutors June 2002 £10,389
Speaking up for Justice Conference Leeds Hilton Development of Speaking up for Justice tutors March 2003 £8,345
Victims Perspective Conference Bath Increase awareness of victims issues among CPS Staff April 2002 3,000
Victims Perspective Conference Belton Woods Hotel Grantham Increase awareness of victims issues among CPS staff October 2002 £3,000
Victims Perspective Conference Durham—CC Increase awareness of victims issues among CPS staff November 2002 £3,000
Community Engagement Seminar Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth To explain, promote and encourage community engagement across the CPS Areas. This was the final event of four, which had been held across the country. May 2002 £8,380
Equality and Diversity Recognition Awards Ceremony New Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London Awards to celebrate the achievements of individuals, teams or groups who have incorporated equality and diversity aspects into their work within the CPS and helped to raise public confidence in the service. October 2002 £17,865
CPS Conference on Homophobic Crime and LGBT Issues Savill Court Hotel Egham To formally launch the Public Policy Statement on Homophobic Crime and associated leaflet, booklet and guidance document. November 2002 £19,384
"On the Edge of Objectivity" Reducing the Justice Gap within 'Hate' Crimes City Hall, Cathays Park Cardiff To identify mechanisms to reduce the justice gap in hate crimes. February 2003 £17,750
Proceeds of Crime Conference Thistle Hotel, Victoria To update CPS champions on progress with implementation of proceeds of crime legislation March 2003 Not yet available
National Domestic Violence Coordinators Network Conference Cavendish Conference Centre London Opportunity for Domestic Violence Co-ordinators to exchange information and promote good practice June 2002 £6,000
Human Trafficking Conference Eastwell Manor Ashford, Kent Facilitate greater cooperation between EU States and Candidate Countries and make recommendations. May 2002 £20,000

The Serious Fraud Office has not sponsored any (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) other conferences in the last 12 months.

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate endeavours to hold two staff conferences/training events each year. Their purpose is the discussion of matters of importance across the Inspectorate and also evaluating and achieving consistency in the inspection process. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate does not have a room sufficiently big to hold the combined London/York staff at its offices and therefore the first day of each conference has been held at the Institute of Minerals. The second and third days of each conference have been held in groups and therefore accommodated within HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate premises. The cost 2002–03 was £2,902.81.

Date Event Purpose Cost
12 and 13 March 2002 AO development course Self development training for administrative officers £2,650
19 March 2002 Leadership seminar A seminar for the staff in Bona Vacantia Division £1,197
1 May 2002 Government Legal Service conference To enable government lawyers to share experience and discuss common issues £16,0001
15 and 16 May 2002 AO development course Self development training for administrative officers £968
2 and 3 July 2002 AO development course See above £2,650
3 September 2002 Management Module 1 Leading and managing people Part 1 of a 6t part management and leadership course for middle managers. £1,247
20 September2002 Management Module 2 Part 2: managing money in Treasury Solicitor's Department £484
15 October 2002 Appreciating difference workshop Diversity training for HR staff and Diversity Group £835
8 October 2002 Management Module 3 Part 3: Client and supplier management £489
20 October 2002 Management Module 4 Part 4: Managing change and risk £484

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate is currently leading the pilot joint inspection of the Gloucestershire CJS Area. An initial meeting was held with the Shadow Local Criminal justice Board and all other interested local agencies. In the absence of other suitable accommodation, a meeting room and facilities at the St. George Hotel, Cheltenham was used. The cost was £1,610.

The Treasury Solicitor's Department makes full use of its own facilities in its HQ building at Queen Anne's Chambers in SW1 for events that it sponsors, which are mainly staff training and internal management activities. Occasional use is made of non-departmental premises for such events where there is considered to be specific benefit and/or there is a need to do so. The events held by the Department on non-departmental premises in the last 12 months (from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002) are listed in the following table. These are mostly in the nature of workshops and seminars.

Date Event Purpose Cost
6 November 2002 Management Module 5 Part 5: Process and project management £580
11/12 November 2002 Supervisory Board Strategy meeting To identify the business strategy for the Agency for the following 3 years £5,300
27 November 2002 Management module 6 Part 6: managing you own effectiveness £481
1 The cost of this event was covered from the Departments of those attending.

The figures provided include direct accommodation costs only: staff time, overheads for organising, facilitating and participating in the event are not included.

The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers has not sponsored any relevant meeting in the last 12 months