Recent Parliamentary Questions
Posted by News Editor
Friday, December 02, 2005

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department

if he will list organisations which have received funding from his Department to help individuals who claim to have been falsely accused of sexual crime; and how much each organisation received in the last five years for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office) replied

The Home Office has not provided any funding to organisations helping those who claim to have been falsely accused of sexual crime in the last five years. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform does provide funding for the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

People who believe they have been wrongly convicted or sentenced and who have exhausted all the normal review procedures can ask the CCRC to review their case. The CCRC can refer the case back to the appropriate appeal court if they conclude that there was a real possibility that the conviction or sentence would be overturned.

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) Hansard source asked the the Secretary of State for the Home Department

if he will list the codes of practice associated with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996; and what the reference numbers of the codes are in each case.

Hazel Blears (Minister of State (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Home Office) Hansard source replied

There are currently six Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE):

  1. PACE Code A—Exercise by: Police officers of statutory powers of stop and search; Police officers and police staff of requirements to record public encounters.
  2. PACE Code B—Searches of premises by police officers and the seizure of property found by police officers on persons or premises
  3. PACE Code C—Detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers
  4. PACE Code D—Identification of persons by police officers
  5. PACE Code E—Tape recording interviews with suspects
  6. PACE Code F—Visual recording with sound of interviews with suspects

The current version of the Codes came into effect on one August 2004 and were introduced by SI 2004/1887

The current version of the Code of Practice under section 23(1) of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 came into effect on four April 2005 and was introduced by SI 2005/985 .

Both the PACE Code and CPIA Code are available from The Stationery Office (PACE Codes— 0113412940/CPIA Codes—ISBN0113413033)

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) Hansard source asked the the Secretary of State for the Home Department

what the reasons were for the reduction in funding for the Criminal Cases Review Commission between 2003 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office) Hansard source replied

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) received a total budget in 2004–05 of £8,462,000 compared with £8,080,000 in 2003–04. The CCRC received less grant in aid in 2004–05 because of the requirement to use cash reserves which they had accrued from previous years, in accordance with the rules of 'Government Accounting'. This is the Treasury guidance which specifies that grant in aid should not be issued in advance of need and that cash balances should be kept at a minimum.

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) Hansard source asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department

if he will establish a Royal Commission to examine the processes used in sex abuse investigations.

Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office) Hansard source replied

The Government and the police continue to work together in order to ensure that investigations of allegations of sexual abuse are effective as well as sensitive to the needs and concerns of complainants and alleged offenders. In the light of such initiatives, we do not consider that the case for setting up a Royal Commission has been made.

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) Hansard source asked the Deputy Prime Minister

how much has been paid in insurance premiums by local authorities in relation to complaints of (a) sexual and (b) physical abuse arising out of residence in (i) care and (ii) residential schools in each year since 1992.

Maria Eagle (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Children and Families), Department for Education and Skills) Hansard source was asked to reply

My Department does not hold this information.

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Lab) Hansard source asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department

what disciplinary action has been taken against police officers for failure to comply with the associated Codes of Practice of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 in historical sex abuse cases in the last three years.

Hazel Blears (Minister of State (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Home Office) Hansard source replied

The level of detail in the information my hon. Friend requires is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.