HC Deb 18 March 2004 vol 419 cc423-4W
Andy King

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the fines officers working in the pilot enforcement programmes in(a) Cambridgeshire, (b) Cheshire, (c) Cumbria, (d)Devon and Cornwall, (e)Gloucester and (f) South Yorkshire implementing the Courts Act 2003 have been informed about the procedures covering vulnerable situations set out on page nine of the National Standards for Enforcement Agents issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department in April 2002. [161785]

Mr. Leslie

All Fines Officers in the local pilots areas have been recruited from existing staff, to whom the National Standards for Enforcement Agents was issued in May 2002. This guidance, together with general guidance ("Transfer of responsibility for warrant execution: Guidance notes", chapter 7 "Vulnerable people") issued by the then Lord Chancellor's Department in March 2001, will also be drawn to the attention of any new recruits—including fines officers, court clerks and enforcement agents, as part of their induction training. It is also included in follow-up training.