HC Deb 13 March 2003 vol 401 cc392-3W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February 2003,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, when he expects the independent executive agency to be created within the Home Office; how many additional staff will be needed; and at what additional cost. [101019]

Hilary Benn

The Criminal Records Bureau will be established as a separate executive agency as soon as practicable. As part of the process of establishing the Agency consideration will be given to the number of additional staff required and to the additional cost.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February 2003,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what steps he is taking to determine whether current systems in the CRB would he able to deal with the doubling in demand of criminal record checks. [101028]

Hilary Benn

As the report of the Independent Review Team made clear, a further programme of enhancement to the current IT system will be required in order to satisfy the demand for Disclosures. This will be pursued as part of the renegotiation of the contract with Capita.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, if he will define the needs of the intelligent customer function of the Criminal Records Bureau. [101029]

Hilary Benn

The precise details need to be settled, but the function would include setting standards for the end-to-end process, auditing them and, monitoring performance against them; contract management; identifying and specifying product changes; managing relationships with registered bodies, the police and other stakeholders; and handling complaints.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February 2003,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, (1) what implications the increased requirement for bodies registered with the Criminal Records Bureau to verify applicant's identity will have for their public liability insurance; [101033]

(2) what implications the increased requirement for bodies registered with the Criminal Record Bureau to verify applicant's identity will have for their public liability insurance. [101033]

Hilary Benn

We will address any evidence that may be presented to us on these matters, under the current consultation exercise on the recommendations of the independent review team.

Under guidance issued by the Criminal Records Bureau, registered bodies are already required to verify the identity of persons, applying for a disclosure, in implementing the independent review team's second recommendation we are simply seeking to formalise this requirement. We are currently consulting registered bodies on the implications for them of recommendations and will consider any representations made about the impact on their insurance premiums.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 27 February 2003,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, (1) how the reduction in the numbers of bodies registered with the Criminal Records Bureau will enable voluntary and community organisations more easily to access disclosures; [101035]

(2) how many voluntary organisations the Independent Review Team into the Criminal Records Bureau consulted as part of their inquiry. [101034]

Hilary Benn

In the course of fieldwork for the review, representatives of two major voluntary organisations were interviewed. We have launched a consultation exercise on those recommendations of the review team that directly impact on the role of registered bodies. We expect that the sector, either through the Consultative Panel and Voluntary and Community Sector Working Group that we have put in place, or directly, will wish to make known its views on the implications of these recommendations, so that they can be fully taken into account.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Statement of 27 February 2003,Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what the contractual consequences are for his Department with Capita of recommendation 7 of the Carter Inquiry. [101037]

Hilary Benn

This is a matter for the discussions that will take place to renegotiate the contract with Capita.