To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have been redeployed to the Criminal Records Bureau from the Passport Agency in each month since the introduction of the Criminal Records Bureau. [98722]
In order to support the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) continuous improvement programme, the United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) has seconded staff without any significant impact on the delivery of the passports.The secondment programme began in June 2002 with the majority taking place during the period of lower seasonal demand for passports. UKPS normally seeks work for its staff elsewhere in the Home Office and other Government Departments at this time as a 'wider markets" initiative. Currently, 35 UKPS staff remain attached to either CRB or are offering support to police forces.The breakdown of numbers on a month by month basis is as follows:
| Stuff | |
| June 2002 | 64 |
| July 2002 | 80 |
| August 2002 | 228 |
| September 2002 | 228 |
| October 2002 | 228 |
| November 2002 | 192 |
| December 2002 | 122 |
| January 2003 | 35 |
| February 2003 | 35 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the inquiry headed by Patrick Carter into the Criminal Records Bureau will cost; and who will be responsible for the costs. [99388]
The estimated cost of the review is £585,000. This includes the cost of various consultancies in support of the review. The Home Office will be responsible for this cost.