HC Deb 24 May 2004 vol 421 cc1367-8W
John McDonnell

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the unified court boundaries to be introduced next year will be coterminous with(a) probation and (b) prison service boundaries. [173126]

Mr. Leslie

The unified courts agency will be established in April 2005 and will have 42 local management areas. These areas will directly align with the local boundaries of the National Probation Service. Her Majesty's Prison Service has a 12-region structure that is coterminous with the boundaries of the 42 management areas.

The local management areas of the unified courts agency will be contained within seven regions. The boundaries of these regions are coterminous with the regional Prison Service boundaries with the exception of Cheshire and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, which for the way court business is currently organised, will link with Wales and the South West respectively. The Government will review this position in 2006–07.

are employed by (a) the Public Guardianship Office, (b) the Civil Justice Council, (c) the Strategic Investment Board, (d) the Information Tribunal, (e) the Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, (f) the Advisory Group on the Delivery of Enforcement Services, (g) the Review of Procedures Consequent on the Decision to Transfer or Commit Fraud Trials and (h) the Office of the Public Trustee; and what their annual budgets are in 2004–05. [174665]

Mr. Lammy

The information requested is set out in the following table.

The Government announced in January 2004 the creation of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which will oversee the management of probation and public sector prisons. The proposed structure of the NOMS is still being considered.

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