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Crown Prosecution Service Accountability

P. John made this Freedom of Information request to National Audit Office

The request was successful.

From: P. John

23 December 2009

Dear National Audit Office,

On your web site, under "Public order, justice and rights", you
state "Our work aims to provide assurance and transparency for the
citizen by verifying that resources have been used as intended by
Parliament; and in an efficient, effective and economical manner".

I contacted the CPS recently(*), asking them to account for the
resources used considering a very serious criminal offence by
British Telecom. That complaint has been been 'under consideration'
for over 435 days, versus an average time to consider complaints
under 9 days.

In the meantime, the UK has become subject to EC Infraction
procedures for failing to implement related European Directives,
which could result in multi-million pound fines.

The CPS have been unable to explain to me what resources they have
consumed during that 18 month period because the "CPS does not
record or bill the time spent by CPS prosecutors and Casework staff
on preparing and prosecuting criminal cases".

I understand you rigorously scrutinise this topic area. Please
could you disclose for me;

- When was the Crown Prosecution Service most recently audited?
- A copy of the most recent audit of the CPS by NAO
- Correspondence exchanged between the NAO and the CPS concerning
the accountability of the CPS for its use of public funds in the
last 12 months

Yours faithfully,
P. John

(*)
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/23...

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

23 December 2009

YOUR REFERENCE: request-25035-3cbfafb1

OUR REFERENCE: FOI-420

Dear Mr John,

Thank you for your email of 23rd December, 2009, in which you requested
information relating to the Crown Prosecution Service. Specifically, you
have requested:

- to know when the Crown Prosecution Service was most recently
audited;

- a copy of the most recent audit of the CPS by NAO;

- copies of correspondence exchanged between the NAO and the CPS
concerning

the accountability of the CPS for its use of public funds in the
last 12 months.

Your request was received on 23rd December, 2009, and I am dealing with it
under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, 2000. If you have any
queries about this email, please contact the FOI team. It would be
helpful if you could quote our reference number, above, in any future
communications regarding this request.

Yours sincerely,

Joseph da Silva
FOI Team
National Audit Office
Information Centre
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 9SP
email: [1][NAO request email]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 7264

The information contained in this email, and any files transmitted with
it, is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed.
Such information may be confidential and privileged, and no mistake in
transmission is intended to waive or compromise such privilege.

If you have received the email in error, please notify the NAO's Post
Master at mailto: [email address].

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the
presence of computer viruses.

Please visit our website at www.nao.org.uk

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NAO request email]

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

14 January 2010

REFERENCE: FOI-420

Dear Mr John,

We are making progress with the response to your recent request made under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, I would like to clarify one
part of the request with you. You asked for correspondence between the
NAO and the CPS concerning "accountability of the CPS for its use of
public funds". Please can you be more specific about what type of
information you are interested in seeing? We have a large amount of
correspondence with the CPS which includes correspondence about day to day
accounting issues and correspondence relating to the setting up of
meetings and study planning which may not be of interest.

We will be able to respond to your request more quickly if you could be
as specific as possible about the type of information you are looking for.

We have stopped the clock on this request but will restart it once we have
received your clarification. Please be aware, if we do not receive a
response within three months of the date of this email, we will consider
the request closed.

If you would like to discuss this over the phone, please feel free to
contact me on 020 7798 7264.

Yours sincerely,

Tara-Lee Platt

The information contained in this email, and any files transmitted with
it, is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed.
Such information may be confidential and privileged, and no mistake in
transmission is intended to waive or compromise such privilege.

If you have received the email in error, please notify the NAO's Post
Master at mailto: [email address].

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the
presence of computer viruses.

Please visit our website at www.nao.org.uk

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Link to this

From: P. John

16 January 2010

Dear Ms Platt,

thank you for your note.

I asked that you provide me with the following information

- when the Crown Prosecution Service was most recently audited;
- a copy of the most recent audit of the CPS by NAO;
- copies of correspondence exchanged between the NAO and the CPS
concerning the accountability of the CPS for its use of public
funds in the last 12 months

Concerning the 3rd item, you asked for clarification.

I have been told by the CPS that they have no record of the
expenditure or effort associated with a criminal complaint that has
been in their hands for approximately 450 days(*). (In response to
other FoI requests, I have been told that on average, cases are on
average handled by the CPS in under 9 days).

Given the extraordinary delay to the case, 50x the average, I
believe the CPS should be in a position to provide an account for
its use of public funds. Yet they tell me they have no record.

So examples of the information I am seeking from the National Audit
Office would include any instructions/ correspondance/ guidance/
advice/ warning given to the CPS concerning the ability of the
organisation to account for the expenditure of public money...
particularly so on a case by case basis.

Of particular interest, I understand from the CPS that "Complex
Case Time Recording was introduced on 9 November 2009"(**)... so
any correspondence associated with the introduction of that system
would also be of interest.

It is my belief that the CPS should be able to account for the use
of public funds, especially so in exceptional cases of delay, both
to ensure greater public confidence and facilitate the efficient
management of the organisation.

Yours sincerely,

P. John
(*) See https://nodpi.org/2008/10/14/response-fr..., this case
is presently still outstanding.
(**) See
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/23...

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

25 January 2010

Attachment FOI 420 Holding response.pdf
352K Download View as HTML

REF: FOI-420

Dear Mr John,

Please find attached a partial response to your recent Freedom of
Information request.

I am providing the links which are in the scanned image below:

[1]http://www.cps.gov.uk/Publications/repor...

[2]http://www.cps.gov.uk/Publications/repor....

[3]http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0506/...

Yours sincerely,

Joseph da Silva
FOI Team
National Audit Office
Information Centre
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 9SP
email: [4][NAO request email]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 7264

The information contained in this email, and any files transmitted with
it, is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed.
Such information may be confidential and privileged, and no mistake in
transmission is intended to waive or compromise such privilege.

If you have received the email in error, please notify the NAO's Post
Master at mailto: [email address].

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the
presence of computer viruses.

Please visit our website at www.nao.org.uk

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.cps.gov.uk/Publications/repor...
2. http://www.cps.gov.uk/Publications/repor...
3. http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0506/...
4. mailto:[NAO request email]

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

23 February 2010

Attachment FOI 420 Holding response 23 Feb.pdf
221K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr John,

Please find, attached, a letter updating you on progress with your FOI
request.

Yours sincerely,

Joseph da Silva
FOI Team
National Audit Office
Information Centre
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 9SP
email: [1][NAO request email]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 7264

The information contained in this email, and any files transmitted with
it, is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed.
Such information may be confidential and privileged, and no mistake in
transmission is intended to waive or compromise such privilege.

If you have received the email in error, please notify the NAO's Post
Master at mailto: [email address].

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the
presence of computer viruses.

Please visit our website at www.nao.org.uk

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NAO request email]

Link to this

From: P. John

23 February 2010

Dear Mr. da Silva

many thanks for your note, and for keeping me updated with
progress.

I look forward to receiving your final response.

Yours sincerely,

P. John

Link to this

National Audit Office

11 March 2010

A large message with subject FOI-420 from [email address] to [FOI #25035 email]
has been parked because it is over the 10MB size limit.

The message will be released after 6:30 pm, if it is under 25MB.

If your message is bigger than 25MB, please resend in smaller parts. Messages above 25MB will be automatically blocked by GSI.

For further help or information please contact mailto:[email address]

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

11 March 2010

Attachment 11.Correspondence Annex In house Advocates CPS Comparative Analysis of Costs P1.pdf
1.1M Download View as HTML

Attachment 6.Good Governance Report Management of Counsel Fees REDACTED P1.pdf
2.8M Download View as HTML

Attachment 7.Comparative Case Costs CPS Paper REDACTED P1.pdf
1.5M Download View as HTML

Attachment 10.Correspondence Annex NAO Examination of Charging at the CPS REDACTED s.40 P1.pdf
674K Download View as HTML

Attachment 12.Email string Re RCPO Merger REDACTED P1.pdf
29K Download View as HTML

Attachment FOI 420 Final Response P1.pdf
1.5M Download View as HTML

Dear Mr John,

Please find attached our final response to your request and the
information for release.

Yours sincerely,

Nora Miller

FOI Team

157-197 Buckingham Palace Road

London

SW1W 9SP

TEL: 0207 798 7264

email: [1][NAO request email]

[2]http://www.nao.org.uk/

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NAO request email]
2. http://www.nao.org.uk/

Link to this

From: FOI, REQUESTS
National Audit Office

11 March 2010

Attachment 11.Correspondence Annex In house Advocates CPS Comparative Analysis of Costs P1.pdf
1.1M Download View as HTML

Attachment 6.Good Governance Report Management of Counsel Fees REDACTED P1.pdf
2.8M Download View as HTML

Attachment 7.Comparative Case Costs CPS Paper REDACTED P1.pdf
1.5M Download View as HTML

Attachment 10.Correspondence Annex NAO Examination of Charging at the CPS REDACTED s.40 P1.pdf
674K Download View as HTML

Attachment 12.Email string Re RCPO Merger REDACTED P1.pdf
29K Download View as HTML

Attachment FOI 420 Final Response P1.pdf
1.5M Download View as HTML

Dear Mr John,

Please find attached our final response to your request and the
information for release.

Yours sincerely,

Nora Miller

FOI Team

157-197 Buckingham Palace Road

London

SW1W 9SP

TEL: 0207 798 7264

email: [1][NAO request email]

[2]http://www.nao.org.uk/

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[NAO request email]
2. http://www.nao.org.uk/

Link to this

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