Copies of the Government's fourth progress report on implementing the recommendations of Sir Michael Bichard's Inquiry into events surrounding the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today. Our last report was made in May 2006 and there have been many positive developments since that date. Some 21 of Sir Michael's 31 recommendations have now been substantially delivered and we continue to press ahead with the more technically complex issues which remain outstanding.

Since we initiated work to implement the Recommendations from the Inquiry, the ambitious and far reaching programme of work has already delivered major improvements to the sharing of information to protect children and vulnerable adults. And it is increasingly apparent that our agenda is now just one part of a much bigger framework covering the use of information to support public protection. So the Government are determined, as they were from day one, to implement the necessary improvements from this crucial work, which demands continuing focus and priority. This latest update clearly reinforces the Government's ongoing commitment to full delivery.

A key objective from the outset has been the delivery of the Impact Programme and we remain committed to delivering the significant improvements which will meet Recommendations 1 and 4. We have achieved much already, as previously reported, and since the delivery of the first, incremental achievements, the ongoing practical benefits to the Police Service have become clear to see. Impact Nominal Index (INI) continues to prove itself to be an invaluable tool in the Police's armoury against those who would seek to do harm to the vulnerable, for example, with over 140,000 searches conducted on the system by the end of March and decisions in some 670 child protection cases referred to the police being changed as a result. But there is still some way to go to realise the ultimate goals of the Programme. After a review of options in consultation with the main stakeholders, we have decided not to deploy the CRISP application as an interim solution. Our primary focus and efforts are now delivery of the new Police National Database, which will meet our pledge of a national police intelligence sharing capability. This work is now being led and managed by the Police Service itself, through the new National Policing Improvement Agency with its clear focus on policing needs, and is forming the central strand of its comprehensive and practical strategy for matching information systems and technology to policing priorities. The Agency is also overseeing the ongoing implementation by Police Forces of the statutory Code of Practice on police information management, which came into force in 2005. This, together with the accompanying operational guidance, will ensure improved national standards are properly embedded in day to day policing.

The other major focus of our work has been the implementation of the new Vetting and Barring Scheme, which will cover those seeking to work with children and replace the existing arrangements. Following Royal Assent for the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, under which the Scheme is established, work has been stepped up to deliver what represents a world-leading and highly innovative system for controlling access to children and vulnerable adults.

Cabinet colleagues at DfES and DH continue to work closely on this important initiative and we look forward to the launch of the Independent Barring Board in 2008, which will work alongside the Criminal Records Bureau and lead the discretionary decision-making process for the more difficult cases.

Elsewhere, progress is being made although in some areas technical issues have meant that timetables have had to be revised. The Home Secretary reported last May that we hoped to have achieved direct updating of Courts' resulting to the Police National Computer by the end of 2008. Whilst my determination—and that of Ministerial colleagues at the Ministry of Justice—to achieve this remains undiminished, it has been necessary to drive forward this complex change in step with the wider IT-enabled reforms to the criminal justice system the Ministry of Justice is delivering and so we plan to achieve delivery of Recommendation 7 by the end of the 2008-09 financial year. In the meantime, Police Forces' performance in updating PNC under the current arrangements remains a broadly sound and improving picture, under the close scrutiny of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

We continue to see increasing take-up of the voluntary training for head teachers and school governors, which focuses on the critical importance of being aware of safeguarding issues when recruiting staff. And we have now developed and rolled out new initiatives to extend the training more widely, in schools and other local authority sectors.

While we continue to make progress in implementing the Recommendations, it is important to note this work is about more than simply delivering new frameworks and arrangements, such as best practice guidance. We are seeking to address cultural or organisational obstacles through IT-enabled business change, such as new information sharing capabilities. We have already achieved real improvements but must be ever vigilant about the risks to the vulnerable members of society.

Furthermore, we must join up systems effectively between the various jurisdictions within the UK and internationally. The difficulties around the notifications of UK citizens convicted in Europe, which came to light earlier this year and which we have been addressing, were a strong reminder that we must be constantly vigilant to ensure systems, both local and national/ international, are all working as they should. Within government and in the key agencies delivering public services, work to safeguard the vulnerable members of the community must be a core priority.

The Bichard work has been the single largest contributor to that cultural change and I am pleased to commend the progress to this House.