| 177.
|
The Environment, Transport and Regional
Affairs Committee recommended that HSE provide
better access for inspectors to legal expertise
to assist in the preparation of cases for
magistrates courts. The Government’s
response was that HSE was reviewing arrangements
for handling complex and defended cases
and considering a range of options. A new
prosecution model was put in place involving
independent legal oversight of the decision
to prosecute, separating out the functions
of prosecution from investigation. CCA argues
that this was in line with recommendations
set out in the 1981 Royal Commission on
Criminal Justice (The Philips Report) and
the 2001 Gover-Hammond Report. CCA reports
that this pilot had a number of benefits
and limited drawbacks. Both CCA and Prospect
report that the pilot is not to be rolled
out other than in piecemeal and partial
fashion, apparently due to lack of resources
(some £10 million pounds). The
Committee recommends that the Government
identifies resources to build on the success
of the pilot. |
