To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many live summonses have not been served in Northern Ireland because the individual to be summonsed could not be traced in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09. (270103)

I have been asked to reply.

The PPS does not collect data in a way that allows the question to be answered directly. The PPS commenced operation in June 2005 and was fully rolled out throughout all of Northern Ireland by October 2007. Since 2005 to the end of the financial year 2008-09 the PPS issued over 100,000 summonses. Of that number approximately 3,000 remain unserved because police have been unable to locate the individual. These remain as “live” summonses and attempts to serve continue. Over 80 per cent. of summons, whether served by post or by way of personal service, are successfully served at the first attempt

Decisions in respect of prosecution remain under review and where a summons cannot be served in spite of repeated attempts by police (generally a minimum of four) and police are unable to locate the individual, the case can be referred back to a PPS prosecutor for a formal review.

In circumstances where a significant period of time has elapsed since the issue of the initial summons and/or the offences are minor in nature, the Prosecutor may consider that the Test for Prosecution is no longer met. Over the period 1 January 2006 to 30 September 2008, a total of 61 no prosecution decisions have been recorded by the PPS as a result of such reviews.