Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the comments by Lord McNally on 1 February (Official Report, cols. 1658–62), how many witness care units are operative in England and Wales; whether they provide a full coverage across the country; and when was the most recent review of the effectiveness and coverage of those units.
Answer
There are 80 Witness Care Units (WCUs) currently operating in England and Wales. The WCUs are distributed geographically across the 13 CPS areas and provide full coverage across the country. A review of witness care was conducted in 2009 aimed at ensuring greater consistency and efficiency in the service delivered to victims and witnesses. In 2011, the CPS commissioned a project to review its victim and witness commitments with a view to taking a fresh look at the service it delivers to them. As part of this review, the CPS is working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to pilot a revised delivery model within WCUs, targeting resources to those victims and witnesses who are in most need of support.