§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the source handling capability of the National Criminal Intelligence Service; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these changes. [166591]
§ Caroline FlintThe National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) employs a number of means to collect intelligence on the activities of serious and organised criminals. These include the running of Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS).
The NCIS Service Authority has recently approved the NCIS Operating Plan for 2004–05. The plan, which is protectively marked in order to safeguard the operational effectiveness of NCIS, includes the creation of a new Business Area dedicated to CHIS handling. A key aim for this Business Area for 2004–05 is to review the structures, working practices, resource and training requirements for NCIS CHIS activity, and to align this with the national strategies for tackling serious and organised crime in order to make it more effective.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of police officers continuing in employment at the National Criminal Intelligence Service on(a) a permanent basis and (b) on secondment during (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06 and (iii) 2006–07. [166600]
§ Caroline FlintIn 2004–05, the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) expects to employ around 100 seconded police officers. Detailed plans for 2005–06 have yet to be formulated, but NCIS expects the number of seconded police officers to be maintained at broadly 2004–05 levels. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) is expected to become fully operational from 1 April 2006, at which point NCIS will cease to exist as a discrete organisation. It will be a matter for the new agency to determine how many seconded police officers it will employ, including for those functions currently performed by NCIS.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Statement of 29 March,Official Report, column 1285, of those police officers seconded to the National Criminal Intelligence Service who have been interviewed regarding the termination of their secondment, how many had completed (a) less than six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) 12 to 18 months and (d) 18 months to two years of their secondment. [166603]
§ Caroline FlintThe National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) interviewed all seconded police officers, with the exception of 27 who elected not to be interviewed (having decided to return to force), 14 officers seconded to other agencies under NCIS suspices1106W (for example, in support of United Nations' effort in Kosovo), and five interviews that are outstanding. Of those interviewed, 12 had served less than six months, 23 for 6–12 months, 33 for 12–18 months, 21 for 18–24 months, and 106 for more than 24 months.