Press Release - Administration of the Crown
Court
6 March 2009
HM Courts Service has taken practical steps to improve the use
of the Crown Court’s existing resources but a number of risks to
value for money remain, the National Audit Office has today
reported.
The Crown Court operates from around 500 court rooms at almost
100 locations around England and Wales. In 2007 it heard 135,000
criminal cases, including the most serious cases, up 5 per cent
from 2005. Some Crown Court locations in London and parts of the
South East are running at, or close to, full capacity, which can
increase waiting times affecting victims, witnesses and other
parties in a court case.
At some locations HM Courts Service has used magistrates’ court
rooms to reduce the shortage of Crown Court rooms. It has also
transferred blocks of cases between different locations. Such
transfers can cut waiting times but HM Courts Service needs to
ensure that any disruption for those attending court is
minimised.
HM Courts Service is planning to spend £120 million to increase
the number of Crown Court rooms by 30 (6 per cent) over the next
three years. HM Courts Service should improve its assessment of
future Crown Court workload and finalise a standard way of
assessing the court rooms needed to meet that workload.
HM Courts Service has not had a model for determining staffing
levels at Crown Court locations since 2004-05. There have also been
weaknesses in learning and development programmes available to
Crown Court staff. For 2009-10, onwards HM Courts Service has
established a new staffing model. It is also working with the
Ministry of Justice to improve learning and development
programmes.
Improvements are needed to the two main Crown Court IT systems.
The case management system – CREST - is 20 years old and is no
longer supported by the manufacturer, bringing operational risks.
The XHIBIT system provides real time information on the progress of
trials and records results, but it needs greater flexibility to
respond to changes in legislation. XHIBIT is not currently able to
accommodate new or revised forms when they are
introduced.
Tim Burr, head of the National Audit Office, said
today:
"HM Courts Service faces a tight budgetary position and
needs to get the most from its estate, staff and IT resources if
Crown Court cases are to start promptly. The Service needs to
improve its allocation and development of staff, so that it has
enough well-trained people in each of its court locations, and
tackle weaknesses in IT systems which currently bring operational
risks and impair efficiency."
Notes for Editors
- In 2007, the Crown Court received 136,000 criminal cases,
including the most serious cases such as murder and rape. It is
administered by HM Courts Service, which is an executive agency of
the Ministry of Justice. HM Courts Service is responsible for
providing the staff, the estate and other support necessary to
enable judges to exercise their judicial functions
independently.
- HM Courts Service calculates that the Crown Court cost some
£380 million to operate in 2007-08. This amount included £100
million to meet the costs of the judiciary and £40 million to meet
jury costs. Both these elements were outside the scope of this
examination.
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website, which is at www.nao.org.uk. Hard
copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Tim Burr, is the head of
the National Audit Office which employs some 850 staff. He and the
NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 16/09
All enquiries to Mark Anderson, NAO Press Office
Tel: 020 7798 7558
Mobile: 07796 937 119