Written question asked by Vera Baird (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 April 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 April 2006. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 April 2006 on behalf of the Solicitor General.

Case Management

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she plans to establish small prosecution case management teams, made up of designated caseworkers, administrative staff and lawyers responsible for reviewing and presenting cases from a single police division as recommended by the National Audit Office.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.As identified by the NAO in their visits to a number of operational units, particularly in Northumbria and South Wales, alignment of dedicated teams of CPS prosecutors, designated caseworkers and administrative staff, to police divisions/basic command units, and ideally servicing discrete magistrates courts, offered the best model for the effective local delivery of justice, both in terms of value for money, victim and witness care, and in promoting the confidence of the local community.The CPS has initiated a programme of activity to restructure all operational units handling volume crime into a similar model, working in close partnership with police colleagues and the courts, and in line with current proposals for police reform, currently the subject of consultation.

Secondary information