HC Deb 16 September 2003 vol 410 cc660-1W
Mrs Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many England and Wales police forces have been involved in investigations into allegations of child abuse in children's homes and other institutions in the past five years; and how many of these allegations relate to historical abuse. [128348]

Ms Blears

The information requested is not available centrally. The Home Office does not collect information on police investigations into allegations of child abuse in children's homes or similar institutions.

In its report on "The Conduct of Investigations Into Past Cases of Abuse in Children's Homes" in October 2002, the Home Affairs Committee noted that 34 police forces had conducted investigations, and that there had been a total of 226 charges relating to historical abuse. It did not record the number of allegations made.

Mrs Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken to revise the internal police handbook for senior investigating officers to set out the terms of an initial approach to potential witnesses in a child abuse case. [128350]

Ms Blears

I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that the team responsible for writing this handbook has been considering the recommendations of the Home Affairs Committee in its report on "The Conduct of Investigations into Past Cases of Abuse in Children's Homes", and the Government's response, and is expected to reach its conclusions before the end of the year.

Mrs Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will issue a code of practice for the audio and visual recording of police interviews with complainants and other significant witnesses in cases of historical child abuse; [128351]

(2) if the Government will issue guidelines to enforce recording of police interviews of complainant and other significant witnesses in home care abuse cases. [128392]

Ms Blears

There is no current code of practice which directs the police to record (either by audio or video) interviews with complainants or other significant witnesses, and we do not propose to introduce one.

Guidance entitled 'Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings' was issued to the police and other agencies involved in criminal proceedings in 2002, superseding the 'Memorandum of Good Practice on Video Recorded Interviews with Child Witnesses for Criminal Proceedings (1992)'. The guidance describes best practice procedures when interviewing vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, whether adults or children, to ensure that they are able to give their best evidence.

There may be clear advantages to both complainant and defendant if greater transparency were built into the process of obtaining evidence in historical abuse cases, and the Government will consider with the Association of Chief Police Officers how to take this forward.

Copies of 'Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings' have been placed in the Library.