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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 19 April 1999
SCOTLAND
New Opportunities Fund
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to reply to the letter from the hon. and learned Member for Orkney and Shetland of 5 February regarding the operation of the New Opportunities Fund in Scotland. [80933]
Mr. Dewar: A reply will be sent very shortly.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Macpherson Inquiry
Mr. Efford: To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the Macpherson Inquiry recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [80526]
The Attorney-General: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 April 1999, Official Report, columns 239-40.
Glidewell Report
Mrs. Golding: To ask the Attorney-General what decisions he has taken on the recommendations on file preparation, case management and witness warning in the report of the Review of the Crown Prosecution Service by the right hon. Sir Iain Glidewell. [81491]
The Attorney-General: The interim response to the Report by Sir Iain Glidewell which I published on 30 November 1998 drew attention to the fact that these key recommendations (recommendations 13-16, 20 and 31) were being considered by a newly formed Criminal Justice Units Project Group, chaired jointly by the CPS and the Association of Police Officers. The Project Group, which also included representatives from other agencies and an independent member, has now completed its consideration of the Report's recommendations, and has made proposals for taking them forward.
The Project Group has proposed that there should be a national model for joint administration, which incorporates the principles of flexibility and partnership and which builds on the arrangements currently being piloted to reduce delays under the Narey Reducing Delays initiative. It is important, as the Report recognises, that the new arrangements provide flexibility, so that Chief Crown Prosecutors and Chief Constables can develop local solutions jointly.
The Government have decided to accept this proposal. This partnership approach between the CPS and the police, reflecting the principles advocated by Glidewell
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and incorporating elements of co-location, common administration and integrated working, will provide the framework for better working relationships between CPS staff and operational police officers and ensure that the work of both agencies is more effective. It will further streamline casework and file handling processes, remove duplication and unnecessary burdens, and reduce delay.
The new model for joint administration will also enable the police and the CPS to provide a better service to victims and witnesses, building on established arrangements and maintaining the co-ordination of victim and witness care.
A feature of the new arrangements is that the police will retain their responsibility for file preparation and witness warning, and that accordingly these responsibilities should not be transferred to the CPS as recommended by Glidewell. The Government have decided that it would not be practical, or a proper reflection of the respective constitutional priorities of the CPS and the police, to require a transfer of responsibilities. The new arrangements will, however, ensure closer co-operation between the police and the CPS and improved file preparation.
Chief Crown Prosecutors and Chief Constables will be asked to submit joint outline implementation plans by the end of November 1999 to a new inter-agency implementation group which we are setting up to oversee these new arrangements.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the appraisal performance markings awarded to civil servants in 1998 for (a) each agency in his Department and (b) the Department broken down by (i) grade, (ii) gender, (iii) ethnicity, (iv) part-time/ full-time working and (v) disability; and for (1) each agency and (2) the Department whether the Cabinet Office's four fifths rule for detecting potential adverse impact was applied to the appraisal markings of civil servants in the 1998 report round. [78147]
Mr. Spellar:
I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the height above sea level of the weather stations at (a) Ashover, Derbyshire, (b) Buxton, Derbyshire, (c) Slaidburn, Lancashire, (d) Emley Moor, West Yorkshire and (e) Sheffield Dore; and what is the average height above sea level for the Oldham, East and Saddleworth constituency. [80278]
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Ann Tourle to Mr. Phil Woolas, dated 19 April 1999:
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I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the height above sea level of various weather stations. This matter falls within the area of responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Met. Office. As the Chief Executive is on holiday at the moment, I am replying on his behalf.
The information you requested is given in the table.
| Weather station | Height above sea level (metres) (1) |
|---|---|
| Ashover | 178 |
| Buxton | 307 |
| Slaidburn(2) | 192 |
| Emley Moor | 259 |
| Sheffield Dore(3) | 206 |
(1) All heights refer to height above sea level of station rain gauge
(2) Station closed on 30 June 1996
(3) Station closed on 31 January 1985
I took advice from the Military Survey Agency on the average height above sea level for the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency. Based on the mean of the highest and lowest points in the area, which are at Blindstones (541 metres) and Wellihole Bridge (148 metres) respectively, this is 344.5 metres.
Project Horizon
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on developments in Project Horizon. [81044]
Mr. Spellar:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence plans to meet his French and Italian colleagues shortly to discuss the way forward for the Horizon programme.
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Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) consultancy and (b) other contracts his Department has had with KPMG since 1 May 1997; and if KPMG is a prospective candidate for future contracts his Department is intending to let. [81419]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) on 22 February 1999, Official Report, columns 31-32. I can confirm that the company are prospective candidates for future contracts.
Mr. Andy King:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes there have been to the plans for Territorial Army units and their locations contained in the Government publication, "Modern Forces for the Modern World: A Territorial Army for the Future". [81493]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Since the announcement on the structure of the Territorial Army on 17 November 1998, Official Report, columns 749-71, there have been a number of small refinements to the detailed plan. These involve some location changes and some changes in the timing of moves, and these are shown in the table. In addition, this opportunity is being taken to correct several typographical errors in the document and these too are shown in the tables.
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| TA centre | Announced occupants | Revised plan |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesborough--(Stockton Road TA Centre) | Was to be base to full infantry company plus pioneer detachment | 1. Stockton Road retains infantry company less a platoon detachment which will instead be based at Coulby Newham TA Centre |
| 2. Pioneer detachment to be based at Cramlington TA Centre | ||
| Scarborough | Was to be base to full infantry company | Scarborough retains infantry company less a platoon detachment, to be based at Northallerton TA Centre (which was to have remained open only for cadets). |
| Telford | Telford to retain two TA Centres (one with ammunition squadron, the other with yeomanry headquarters squadron and surgical squadron) | Surgical squadron to go to Copthorne Barracks, Shrewsbury (to co-locate with infantry company). Telford still retains two TA Centres. |
| Newcastle | Debdon Gardens was to be base to whole of 219 Field Squadron | A detachment of 219 Squadron to be based at Sunderland TA Centre. Debdon Gardens remains open for other units. |
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 399
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 399
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