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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Serious Fraud Office
34. Mr. Lock: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the steps being taken by the Serious Fraud Office to tackle fraud in the City. [28779]
The Attorney-General: The Serious Fraud Office aims to deter fraud and maintain confidence in UK business and financial institutions through effective investigation and prosecution of serious and complex fraud. Since 5 April 1997, the SFO has prosecuted 36 defendants, of whom 34 have been convicted.
Crown Prosecution Service
35. Mr. Dismore: To ask the Attorney-General what is the present position concerning the review of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement. [28780]
The Attorney-General: I refer the hon. Member to my oral answer today to the hon. Member for Clwyd, West (Mr. Thomas).
36. Mr. Ian Bruce:
To ask the Attorney-General what has been the trend in the time it takes the Crown Prosecution Service to bring criminal cases before the courts over the last six months; and what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken. [28781]
The Attorney-General:
Data relating only to the Crown Prosecution Service are not available. However, the Lord Chancellor's Department collects data on the time between offence and completion of magistrates courts proceedings.
The latest available figures from offence to completion show that, in June 1997, the average time for defendants in indictable cases (including triable either way cases) was 136 days. This is a rise from 133 days in June 1996 and 132 days in June 1995.
Data collected by the Court Service show that the average time between committal and arraignment or start of the first main hearing in the Crown Court in 1997 was 12 weeks. This is a fall from 13 weeks in 1996 and 16 weeks in 1995.
The Government are determined to tackle delays in the criminal justice system as a whole. It will achieve this through the measures contained in the Crime and Disorder Bill, which will be reinforced by the extension of the statutory time limits regime.
37. Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Attorney-General what representations from international lawyers he has received as to the legality of a preventive war against Iraq. [28783]
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 817
The Attorney-General:
I have received no such representations. The Government are aware of the requirements of international law.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Attorney-General what provision his Department makes for child care facilities for staff; what subsidy is provided for (a) nursery places and (b) holiday play schemes; if he will list the organisations used by his Department for child care; and if child care vouchers are made available to staff. [30023]
The Attorney-General:
The provision made by my Departments is as follows:
8. Mr. Townend:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assess the advantages of withdrawing the ban on T-bone steaks and oxtails. [28752]
Dr. John Cunningham:
The scientific evidence is kept under regular review.
16. Mr. Hanson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives he is supporting to promote the consumption of British beef. [28760]
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 818
Mr. Rooker:
The Government have continued to support various initiatives to help promote consumption and restore consumer confidence in beef. As a result, we have seen significant improvements in the level of beef consumption, indicating the return of consumer confidence.
17. Mr. David Heath:
18. Mr. Gray:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the elected President of the National Farmers Union to discuss livestock farming. [28762]
Dr. John Cunningham:
I met the newly elected President of the NFU on 10 February and we discussed a number of issues including livestock farming.
19. Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was paid in area payments in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what is the policy objective of making these payments. [28763]
Mr. Morley:
Payments in the UK under the 1997 Arable Area Payments Scheme are estimated to be £1,216 million. The European Union introduced the Scheme to compensate arable farmers for the reduction in support prices arising from the 1992 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
20. Ms Moran:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department gives farmers on the safe use of pesticides. [28764]
Mr. Rooker:
The statutory Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Holdings, known as the "Green Code", provides comprehensive guidance to farmers.
21. Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that vessels of applicant countries for membership of the EU are not allowed to fish within 200 nautical miles of the British coast or within the median line with neighbouring states if closer than this following their entry into the EU. [28765]
Mr. Morley:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 4 February 1998, Official Report, column 686.
19 Feb 1998 : Column: 819
22. Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the advantages to farmers of farm assurance schemes. [28767]
Mr. Morley:
I very much welcome the initiative of the food industry, including farmers, in tackling consumer concerns on food through the creation of farm assurance schemes. To command the confidence of consumers, such schemes must have measurable standards acceptable to all and be subject to independent third party verification to internationally recognised standards. My officials have been advising, and will continue to advise, the industry on these issues.
23. Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the role of the Food Standards Agency in advising the public on nutrition. [28768]
Mr. Rooker:
Our proposals on the Food Standards Agency are set out in the White Paper "The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change" (Cm 3830) which was published for consultation on 14 January.
The Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers
The Treasury Solicitor's Department makes provision, also open to staff in my own office, for the children of its staff to use the Westminster Holiday Playscheme. This scheme is run on behalf of the Cabinet Office. The Department meet half the daily cost of attendance.
No subsidy is provided for nursery places nor are child care vouchers made available.
The Government Property Lawyers
The Government Property Lawyers Agency avails itself of similar arrangements. The children of staff are able to use a holiday play scheme organised and run by Crown Departments in Taunton. Child care vouchers are not made available.
The Serious Fraud Office
The Serious Fraud Office does not provide child care facilities or subsidies. However, if parents are required to make a temporary change to their normal working routine, for example, if an investigator is required to be away from home overnight or for a more protracted period, the practice is to reimburse them for the additional cost of child care.
The Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service provides no child care facilities or creches at any of its premises. Financial support, through subsidies, is provided to staff who meet certain eligibility criteria towards the cost of:
(a) child care for infants below school age; and
(b) school age children attending after-school clubs and holiday play schemes.
These facilities are provided by numerous organisations throughout the Service's Areas.
The amount of the subsidy, up to a maximum of 50%, is calculated by reference to the individual's salary and the level of costs incurred. Child care vouchers are not currently provided.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to the sale and consumption of unpasteurised milk and milk products. [28761]
Mr. Rooker:
We are reviewing policy in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in respect of unpasteurised cows' drinking milk. We are also currently undertaking microbiological surveillance of other unpasteurised milk for drinking, and of certain raw milk products, and will consider the policy implications in the light of the results.
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