HC Deb 06 March 2003 vol 400 cc1222-3W
Mr. Laws

To 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 Benn

The 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.

Costs 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.

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