HL Deb 20 January 2005 vol 668 c29WS
Baroness Amos

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Government have received and welcomed the third report from the Justice Oversight Commissioner, the right honourable Lord Clyde, on the progress achieved in implementing the recommendations of the Review of the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland. Consistent with his terms of reference, the report was submitted to the Attorney-General, Baroness Ashton, Minister for the Northern Ireland Court Service, and me in December.

Lord Clyde concludes that the position overall is one of solid progress continuing to be made over the whole range of the work. Whilst some few areas of delay have been identified, as more and more of the particular elements of the whole package of reforms begin to fall into place, the picture of the new system of criminal justice is beginning to emerge and the overall progress towards that end remains commendable. The Government warmly endorse these conclusions.