§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the purpose is of the Criminal Policy Group within his Department; what his estimate is of its cost for each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [99804]
§ Hilary BennThe Criminal Policy Group shared the purpose of the Home Office in building a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced and the protection and security of the public are maintained. The Group had responsibility to deliver two of the principal Home Office Aims, Aim 3 (To ensure the effective delivery of justice) and Aim 4 (To deliver effective custodial and community sentences to reduce reoffending and protect the public). Following changes in senior management arrangements in the Department on 5 February, the Group was renamed the Criminal Justice Group and its correction functions (including its responsibility for Aim 4) moved to report to the Commissioner for the Correctional Services and Permanent Secretary for Human Resources.
1223WCosts for the Criminal Policy Group each year are as follows:
£ million 1996–97 Outturn 77 1997–98 Outturn 90 1998–99 Outturn 93 1999–2000 Outturn 187 2000–01 Outturn 159 2001–02 Outturn 89 2002–03 Estimated Outturn 109 2003–04 Planned 177 2004–05 Planned 195 2005–06 Planned 217 Notes:
1. The outturn figures include expenditure on current (resource) and capital budgets. Figures prior to 2001–02 are taken from the Home Office Annual Report 2000–01 and 2001–02.
2. Planned figures are for the Criminal Policy Group before recent changes and include correction functions.
3. All figures exclude expenditure by non-departmental public bodies.