The police are to be equipped with new technology to combat crime and Home Secretary Jack Straw is seeking views on proposals to introduce supporting legislation. The legal changes are necessary to ensure that the law keeps pace with technology, while preserving individual rights.
Hand held fingerprint scanning technology will allow fingerprints to be taken by police officers on patrol. 

From the autumn, social services departments will have to make public their annual performance records. Publishing this information will help local people know how well, or how badly, their social services are performing and help councils monitor their own performance more effectively. The aim is to drive up standards, and improve services across the board.
There will be fifty indicators in the Performance Assessment Framework. 

Warwick/DETR Best Value Series. Paper Number 3
By Steve Martin and Howard Davis
This report provides details of the methodology by which the Warwick based research team is evaluating the programme of thirty eight English Best Value pilots and the activities of three Welsh Best Value pilots.