Your Right To Know Heather Brooke

November 23, 2005

Justice by postcode: the lottery revealed

Full Times survey Full CPS results

By Sean O'Neill, Frances Gibb and Heather Brooke

CRIMINAL suspects are up to eight times more likely to go free in some parts of the country than others because of a postcode system of justice, The Times can disclose. A detailed analysis of the work of Britain’s prosecutors shows stark differences in conviction rates around the country for offences ranging from dangerous driving to murder.

Data obtained by The Times under the Freedom of Information Act established that:

34 per cent of homicide prosecutions in London involving murder and manslaughter failed

Almost 40 per cent of sexual offence prosecutions in London failed

37 per cent of sex crime prosecutions failed nationally

Hundreds of victims of sexual and violent attacks in Bedfordshire were left with their cases unresolved after almost 50 per cent of prosecutions for sex crimes and offences against the person failed.

Bedfordshire came bottom of the first, unofficial league table of the Crown Prosecution Service’s 42 regional teams in England and Wales, with an overall conviction rate of 76 per cent.

The performance measurement, compiled from casework data spanning an 11-month period, placed Warwickshire on top with a 93 per cent success rate.

March 20, 2006 Monday

Drunks blamed as accidents on Tube hit 12,000 in 5 years; LU launch safety campaign for tipsy commuters

BY AMAR SINGH; HEATHER BROOKE

LONDON Underground today defended its safety standards after it was revealed more than 12,000 people have been injured while travelling on the Tube in the past five years.

Bosses blamed drunken passengers for many of the incidents and said it plans to launch a safety campaign to encourage travellers who had had a drink to be extra careful.

More than half of all accidents reported on London Underground involved falls on escalators or stairs. Eleven were fatal, and another 551 were serious. And almost Pounds 5 million was paid out in compensation over the same period.

Today's figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, found:

The majority of accidents - 37 per cent - happened during rush hours between 7am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm.

The station with the worst accident record is Waterloo, with 121 incidents.

. The most common cause of injury, after escalator falls, was passengers being trapped in doors or barriers.

. Bizarrely, 10 injuries involving bites from insects, dogs or fellow travellers.

Your Name

Your Address

Your Telephone

Email: ???

Graham Rowlinson, Open Government Collection

Department for Trade and Industry

1 Victoria Street

Room LG 139

London SW1H 0ET

17 April 2007

FOIA REQUEST FOR REGISTERS OF INTERESTS AND GIFTS FROM OFFICIALS WORKING IN THE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT UNIT

Dear Mr Rowlinson

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to know the following about the Department for Trade and Industry's Energy Development Unit:

Are staff and/or public officials required to declare their external activities and potential conflicts of interest? I am particularly interested in procurement staff and those supervising and awarding contracts and licenses. If such declarations exist then I would like copies of these for the previous 12 months up to the time this request is answered.

2. Are staff and/or public officials required to complete reports listing gifts or hospitality received? If such records exist then I would like copies of these for the previous 12 months.

If you estimate that this time-frame would take my request over the cost limit, please can you telephone me at the number above to discuss ways of narrowing this request. Some parts of this request may be easier to answer than others, and in such case I would ask that you release available data as soon as possible rather than hold up the entire request. If FOI requests of a similar nature have been asked already please could you include your responses to those requests.

I would prefer this information electronically, however if that is not convenient I can accept hard copies or inspect the records in person. If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in the Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this letter, and I look forward to your response within the statutory time limits. If you need any clarification then please contact me via email or phone. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Regards,

Data Sorted by EDU Section

Data Sorted by Name

Data Sorted by Source of Gift/Hospitality

http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =bpqhn-POb7c

July 2006 First ranking of urban areas by crime rate finds huge variations in levels of crime Better information and stronger accountability will improve police performance A new report today reveals huge variations in urban crime rates across the country with Nottingham, the highest crime urban area, recording four times the number of selected crimes per 1,000 population as the safest towns such as Southend and Poole. The report, Urban Crime Rankings , by the independent think tank Reform , uses new data obtained from police forces by Freedom of Information requests on seven offences: murder, rape, assault, burglary, robbery, vehicle crime and gun crime. It argues that more intelligible statistics and new models of accountability will increase local pressure for better police performance in high crime cities and towns.