HC Deb 19 September 2003 vol 410 cc1228-30W
Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what profit/loss has been returned by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130271]

Ms Blears

Figures relating to the profit/loss returned by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992 are set out in the table:

£000
1991–92 -1,113
1992–93 1,193
1993–94 -1,930
1994–95 769
1995–96 628
1996–97 -1,457
1997–98 3,035
1998–99 239
1999–2000 157
2000–01 3,695
2001–02 4,891
2002–03 10,232

Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed by the Forensic Science Service(a) in total and (b) at its Wetherby site in each year since 1992. [130272]

Ms Blears

Information is currently available only for 1996–97 to 2002–03. The number of employees (permanent staff, counted as full-time equivalents) at 31 March of each of those years is as follows.

Year FSS total1 Wetherby
1997 1,167 115
1998 1,276 126
1999 1,677 183
2000 1,811 170
2001 2,230 222
2002 2,488 258
2003 2,603 273

1 Forensic Science Service

Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the police authorities in England and Wales used the services of the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130273]

Ms Blears

The Forensic Science Service has provided a service to all police authorities in each year since 1992 to the current year.

Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of redundancy payments met by the Forensic Science Service in(a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [130274]

Ms Blears

There were no redundancies in 2001–02 or 2002–03. The current estimate of redundancy cost of 2003–04 is £6 million.

Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the procedure is for the appointment of members to the Executive Board of the Forensic Science Service; and how many people serve on the Board. [130275]

Ms Blears

Appointments are made by the executive board after scrutiny by the Development and Remuneration Committee, and approval by the main board.

The Development and Remuneration Committee consists solely of independent members and the majority of members of the main board are non-executive directors.

Colin Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on research and development by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130276]

Ms Blears

The value of research and development by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992 is set out in the table.

£000
1991–92 2,506
1992–93 2,295
1993–94 1,671
1994–95 1,582
1995–96 1,656
1996–97 2,109
1997–98 2,235
1998–99 2,771
1999–2000 3,187
2000–01 3,173
2001–02 3,670
2002–03 3,417

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by the Forensic Science Service. [130478]

Ms Blears

The number of people employees (permanent staff, counted as full-time equivalents) on 31 July 2003 was 2,649.

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