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The Crown Prosecution Service is to undergo a major shake-up in a bid to boost falling conviction rates. Under plans announced on Wednesday, police forces in England and Wales will be given their own chief Crown prosecutor with a role similar to that of a United States district attorney. The Attorney General John Morris QC said the prosecutors would be required to help rebuild confidence across the system.

The Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar has announced that ministers will take direct responsibility for Scottish Prison Service matters. In a Commons written reply he said that responsibility for answering parliamentary questions would be taken away from the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service and given to the relevant Scottish Office minister. The move follows a similar initiative in England and Wales.

Ethnic minority groups have benefited from just 3% of National Lottery awards announced so far, according to the National Heritage Secretary Chris Smith. In a Commons written reply he said that many other projects did provide benefits to people from ethnic minorities. "I am conducting a thorough review of the distribution of Lottery proceeds, including how best to ensure that all sections of the community benefit fully from the National Lottery," he stressed.

Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997

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