Written Statement of 12 March 2004

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Coroner and Death Certification Service
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Paul Goggins)
  Today I am publishing and placing in the Library a paper setting out the Government's position on the arrangements we propose to introduce to replace our existing systems for the certification and investigation of deaths in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.

  In June last year we published the report of the independent Fundamental Review of the Coroner Services. In July, the Third Report of the Shipman Inquiry was published following the conclusion of Phase Two of Stage Two of the Inquiry's investigation of our death certification and investigation arrangements. This discharged the Inquiry's remit to enquire into relevant issues concerning the registration of deaths, cremation certification and the coroner system as a result of the murders perpetrated by Harold Shipman.

  Both reports identified similar problems with our existing arrangements. They recommended similar, but not identical solutions. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary invited Tom Luce, the chairman of the Fundamental Review, to advise him on the links between the two reports. We have now received that advice and have considered the reports further. I would like to take this opportunity of saying how very grateful the Government are to both Tom Luce and Dame Janet Smith for all the help they and their teams have given the Government as we take forward change in this important and complex area.

  We intend to sweep away the existing procedures and structures. We must have a coherent system with oversight of all deaths based around full-time judicial coroners with appropriate medical expertise in close support. We must be able to ensure that families can find out how their relatives died, and that avoidable deaths can be prevented in future. Our public health strategies need to be informed by robust mortality data. Our paper now maps out the broad procedures and structures we would wish to see in place to achieve this in the future. The proposals I am publishing today take account of the requirements across all Government Departments.

  The paper does not, and cannot, provide a detailed blueprint for the reformed service. It offers an outline of our proposals, which will need to be firmed up in the course of discussions with practitioners and other stakeholders. Once we have this more detailed information on practicalities and costs, and can be satisfied both on effectiveness and affordability, we propose to come forward, later this year, with a detailed White Paper and draft legislation.
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  EU Association Agreements
  The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Beverley Hughes)
  I announced in response to a Question from the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) 8 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1245–52, that I had ordered a full investigation of how it came about that guidance was issued to staff in the Sheffield office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the handling of applications under the European Union Accession agreements without my knowledge or that of senior IND management.

  The investigation is being conducted by Ken Sutton, Senior Director (Asylum), who is outside the management line for the Sheffield office. Its terms of reference are:
  "To investigate:
  The circumstances in which guidance has been issued to IND staff in the General Casework Section in Sheffield since September 2003 on the handling of applications made under the EC Association Agreements; on what authority this guidance was issued; and what steps, if any, were taken to seek higher authority or consult more -widely within the organisation;
  To establish the facts; and
  To make recommendations for addressing deficiencies in management which are revealed, to prevent any recurrence;
  To make an interim report on the factual position by 18 March, and a final report by the end of March".

  Mr Sutton commenced his investigation on 9 March, and has interviewed most of the staff involved. He is now piecing together the precise circumstances in which the guidance was issued. I have asked him to give me an interim report on the facts of the matter by 18 March. I have also asked Mr Sutton to report on current, longstanding and any previous exercises over the last 10 years for dealing with backlogs.

  In the meantime, IND senior management has decided that management in the Sheffield general casework office needs to be significantly strengthened. An experienced senior manager is being moved in to take charge of this office with effect from Monday.

  There have been questions about the number of ECAA applications. From internal management information, it is estimated that just over 19,000 applications under the ECAA route were received in 2002–03 and around 36,000 to date in 2003–04. Of these, just over 18,500 and 29.000 respectively were from people already lawfully in the country but who are simply seeking to extend their stay or change the basis on which they are here. Some 600 applications in 2002–03 and just over 7,000 to date in 2003–04 were from people overseas seeking entry clearance. The total number of decisions in these cases from September 2003 to date is around 26,000. Again, the vast majority of these individuals were already here lawfully. Of these, just over 25,000 were approved and nearly 800 were either refused or fell for other reasons.

  The Department has a duty of confidentiality regarding discipline and employment and a general duty of care to staff. In accordance with our normal policy, we will not release or confirm the names of members of staff during the course of this investigation.
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NORTHERN IRELAND

  Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Science Service
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Ian Pearson)
  I am today announcing my decision to extend the role of the new Non-Departmental Public Body, which will take over responsibility for the functions of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Science Service in 2006.

  I previously announced the Government's decisions in response to the O'Hare Report on the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's arrangements for the provision of agri-food education and R&D in Northern Ireland on 31 March 2003. Within that statement, I announced that provision was to be retained within DARD to provide emergency response and surveillance. However, following further analysis and consideration of the functions and organisation of the new NDPB, it has become clear that this emergency response capability should also transfer to the new body.
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  I am confident that this extended role for the NDPB will enable DARD, working in close co-operation with the body, to handle any future emergencies in the animal health sector. Furthermore, I believe that the decision that I am announcing today will ensure a more coherent organisation, without duplication or overlap, better placed to provide the services required by its customers. It is estimated that around 220 staff who would have been retained within DARD, will now move to the new NDPB, bringing its total staff numbers, including those moving from the Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland (ARINI) to around 850.

  The decision to place ARINI in the NDPB is unaffected by this change.

TREASURY

  Mortgage Market
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Gordon Brown)
  Professor David Miles' report"The UK Mortgage Market: Taking a Longer-term View, Final Report and Recommendations", is published today. Copies are available in the Vote Office.