asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps have been taken to develop further and increase the tri-service working of service special investigation branches; and [HL1268]

What measures they have introduced to ensure that the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch is properly notified by other agencies and police forces of relevant information; and [HL1269]

What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to establish protocols with all jurisdictions with which it has interfaces, including foreign jurisdictions, to ensure appropriate sharing of investigative and criminal justice DNA samples and fingerprints; and [HL1270]

What consideration the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has given to accrediting officers engaged in forensic tasks to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners; and [HL1271]

What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to develop a forensic science delivery plan for the next five years; and [HL1272]

What progress the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has made in developing guidance on information sharing with the police national computer; and [HL1273]

Whether the Royal Military Police has considered introducing a system of specialist advisers or direct recruitment into the Special Investigation Branch; and [HL1297]

What were the outcomes of the most recent defence training review for military police officer training; and [HL1298]

When a review of the assessment criteria for the vocational phase of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch level 3 investigators course is expected to take place; and [HL1299]

What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) has taken to implement a major crime case review policy; and whether the SIB has taken steps in liaison with the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group; and [HL1300]

What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in developing an internal communication strategy to increase knowledge and awareness of the benefits of the national intelligence model; and [HL1301]

Whether they have considered introducing statutory instruments to allow service police access to the investigative benefits provided by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and [HL1302]

What review the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has undertaken of capturing and submitting criminal justice DNA and fingerprint samples; and [HL1367]

What consideration has been given to providing support services for Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch staff; and what reviews have been undertaken to assess the need for more structured support services for those staff deployed in high-risk areas; and [HL1368]

Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has reviewed the frequency of structured refresher training provided during peacetime home duties for crime scene investigations; and [HL1369]

Why the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch does not have full primacy over investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan; and [HL1370]

What additional resources the Ministry of Defence is providing to meet the increases in investigative activity by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) anticipated in the report of HM Inspectors of Constabulary into the SIB; and [HL1371]

What system of performance measurements the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) currently uses; and whether they intend to develop further such systems; and [HL1372]

Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch intends to collect statistical data on the rate of conversion of investigations to convictions and to use this information as a performance measure; and [HL1455]

What liaison arrangements are now in place between the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) and the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group to identify exchange opportunities for less experienced SIB senior investigation officers; and [HL1456]

What consideration they have given to making the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch subject to the national witness arrangements set out by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005; and [HL1457]

What use the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch currently makes of the Home Office Large Major Inquiry System major incident room; and whether there are any plans to use the system in all suitable major crime investigations; and [HL1458]

What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch and the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) have taken to (a) formally adopt the national intelligence model; and (b) develop a comprehensive strategic assessment to understand the nature and extent of serious and organised crime involving military personnel or affecting military deployments; and [HL1459]

What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in establishing a fully planned and resourced implementation programme for the adoption of the national intelligence model; and what liaison the Ministry of Defence has had with the National Centre for Police Excellence in this regard.[HL1460]

These questions all relate to a formal inspection of the Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) (RMP(SIB)) conducted in March 2006 at the MoD's request by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). This was the first time that any part of the service police had been subjected to such a rigorous and in-depth independent examination, applying national bench-marking for police investigations. HMIC identified a number of areas where it felt that improvements could be made and these questions are linked to the report's recommendations. This important work is ongoing, including an assessment of resource implications. The report also identified several opportunities for developing tri-service working and we intend to examine how the lessons learnt can be implemented across the RN and RAF SIBs.

HMIC is due to receive a progress report from Provost Marshal (Army) on 1 April 2007. A copy of this report will be placed in the Library of the House. Pending the release of this progress report, I am withholding information as it relates to the formulation of government policy.