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European Youth Campaign
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the United Kingdom's financial
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contribution to the European youth campaign against racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance; and what is the figure for each of the European countries.Mr. Nicholas Baker: The campaign was agreed on the basis that it would be met from existing Council of Europe resources, supplemented by voluntary additional contributions and private sector funding. At the national level the United Kingdom contribution to the European youth campaign is being co-ordinated by the Commission for Racial Equality as part of its statutory function to promote good race relations. This will be funded from its existing Government grant of £15.5 million--1994 95. Information is not available on the position of other member states, most of which have no equivalent of the CRE and will have to allocate specific funding, but we understand that very few have offered additional contributions.
Prison Staff Violence
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on the Prison Service project to reduce violence against staff; and when a report will be published.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the Prison Service project to reduce violence against staff. The preliminary work of the project has been completed and the results will shortly be considered by the Prison Board. Further work is likely to be undertaken. There are no plans to publish the preliminary results.
Dorset Police Authority
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total budget for the Dorset police authority for 1994 95.
Mr. Maclean: The latest estimate by the Dorset police authority of total current and capital expenditure in 1994 95 is £65.2 million.
Child Abduction
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that there are uniform and satisfactory instructions on dealing with child abduction cases available in all police stations.
Mr. Maclean: Discussions are planned between the Association of Chief Police Officers and Reunite--the National Council for Abducted Children--on a range of issues, including guidance materials available to police officers.
Thames Valley Police Authority
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total budget for the Thames Valley police authority for 1994 95; and what proportion was allocated to Berkshire.
Mr. Maclean: The latest estimate by the Thames Valley police authority of total current and capital
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expenditure in 1994 95 is £188.7 million. The proportion of expenditure applicable to Berkshire cannot be separately identified.Secure Training Units
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary State for the Home Department if he will list the locations selected for secure training units and give for each (a) the date on which detailed planning permission was applied for, (b) the progress to date on each application (c) the projected dates on each site for letting a contract, for commencement on site and for completion, (d) the number of young people to be accommodated in each case, (e) the target date for first admissions in each case, (f) the target date for first admissions in each case and (g) the target date for full operation.
Mr. Maclean: I announced on 21 April 1994 at columns 636 37, that it was proposed to site secure training centres at Campsfield house, Gringley, Medomsley and Onley. The location of the fifth site, at Cookham Wood, was announced on 29 June 1994 at column 622 . Each secure training centre will accommodate up to 40 persistent juvenile offenders sentenced to a secure training order.
Applications for outline planning permission in respect of four of the sites and for a certificate of lawfulness of proposed use in respect of the Gringley site have been lodged with the relevant planning authorities. To date, permission has been granted on one site--Cookham Wood--and planning consultants have been engaged to advise on progressing matters on the other four sites.
Following enactment of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, it is our intention to issue invitations to tender for the design, construction and refurbishment, management and finance of each secure training centre. Invitations to tender will be issued on the basis of named sites with the benefit of outline planning permission for the development of a secure training centre. Contracts will then be let as soon as practicable following receipt of the tenders.
It will be the responsibility of the contractor to obtain detailed planning permission and issues such as projected start and completion dates on site, target dates for first admission and for full operation are contractual matters to be proposed by tenderers. Those proposals will then form part of the tender evaluation exercise.
Unitary Authorities, Wales
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the electoral areas to be used for the first elections to the councils of the new unitary authorities in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: I am pleased to announce that my right hon. and noble Friend Lady Blatch has today signed electoral arrangements orders establishing the electoral areas to be used for the first elections for the 22 new unitary authorities in Wales.
The orders confirm the proposals submitted to the Home Secretary by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in July this year. The first elections to the new authorities will be held on 4 May 1995. Copies of the orders may be obtained from the Vote Office.
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Justice and Home Affairs Council
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 30 November and 1 December.
Mr. Howard: The main matters dealt with by the Council were as follows:
The Council discussed the serious problems presented by fraud against the Community budget. It adopted a resolution on the criminal law protection of Community financial interests, and agreed that further work should be done on this during the first half of 1995 with a view to concluding a binding legal instrument. The United Kingdom proposed a legally binding joint action in March this year. The Council considered the draft Europol convention but was unable to resolve all the outstanding issues. The presidency reported on progress in developing the convention to the European Council at Essen on 9 to 10 December.
The Council decided on senior staff appointments in the EUROPOL drugs unit. The United Kingdom candidate has now been confirmed as a member of the senior management team.
The Council adopted the following measures in the field of immigration:
Resolution on the admission of third-country nationals to the territory of member states for study purposes.
Resolution on admission for self-employment.
Joint action on travel facilities for third country nationals school pupils.
The Council adopted conclusions setting out the framework for organising co -operation and contacts with third countries on third pillar matters. The Council agreed that the French presidency should organise a meeting with Cyprus and Malta in the first half of 1995. The Council considered an interim report on racism and xenophobia. It expressed general agreement on the importance of the issue and on the need for further work on all aspects of the problem.
It considered an interim report on judicial co-operation against international organised crime and asked officials to develop a range of proposals for further action.
The Council agreed proposals from the presidency for increased police and customs co-operation in implementation of the declaration adopted at the Berlin conference with central and eastern European states on 8 September.
The Council agreed that officials should proceed with the development of a convention covering all aspects of extradition concurrently with the preparation of a more limited, separate instrument creating simplified procedures for persons consenting to extradition. The aim should be to finalise this latter document in the first half of 1995.
The Council considered a progress report on the drafting of an extension to the Brussels convention, covering jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial cases. It agreed that the working group should continue its work and should examine in particular the possibility of extending the convention to procedures relating to the custody of children.
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Passports
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reached a decision on the recommendations arising from the Passport Agency's review of the British visitors passport, the British excursion document and the collective passport; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard: The Passport Agency's review of the British visitor's passport, the British excursion document and the collective passport has now been completed. The need for the review arose from 1988 Home Affairs Select Committee report which recommended that because of doubts about its security and value as an identity document, the BVP should be withdrawn as soon as the computerisation programme for issuing standard passports had been successfully completed, and effective arrangements were in place for the issue of the standard 10-year passport, especially for people requiring a travel document quickly.
In conducting the review, the agency has consulted widely and received contributions from the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Security Service, from leading organisations in the travel industry, the Post Office and from national youth associations.
The review evidence has established that the BVP is a poor quality travel document which does not provide definite evidence of national status or of identity, and its security is poor. It is used in the evasion of immigration controls, and its use by criminals, terrorists and football hooligans has been of considerable concern to police and immigration authorities in this country, and in the EC for a long time. Because of these factors, Spain has decided to withdraw acceptance of the BVP from 1 October 1995, and it is clear that many other EC Governments, facing immigration pressures from outside the EC are very concerned about the BVP's security weaknesses. The BVP remains popular, but its poor reputation creates problems for bona-fide holders, and it is of no value for non- travel purposes. In comparison to the standard 10-year passport, it represents poor value for money.
As for the BED which can be used for short excursions to France, and the no -passport excursion arrangements with Belgium and the Netherlands, the review has established that these arrangements are also vulnerable to abuse, and are not compatible with the requirement for tight immigration controls.
The review has concluded that there is strong support for the continuation of the collective passport which is well regarded in Europe.
In the light of these findings the Passport Agency has recommended that the BED and the arrangements for no-passport excursions should be withdrawn from 1 March 1995; that the BVP should be withdrawn from 1 January 1996; and that the collective passport should be retained. The Passport Agency is satisfied that the standard passport which costs £18 will provide a convenient and effective replacement for the BVP and BED, and that it will be able to provide a flexible and responsive service which fully meets the needs of the travelling public throughout the year. To improve customer service the agency is planning to form partnerships with high street outlets such as travel agents and the Post Office so that they will issue and receive completed applications, and
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fees from the public. The agency intends to have these arrangements in place by the autumn of next year.I have carefully considered the Passport Agency's report on its review, and its recommendations, and after consultations with colleagues, I have approved them.
The Green Paper on identity cards, which I plan to publish in the spring of 1995, will take account of the Government's decision to withdraw the British visitor's passport and the no-passport arrangements. It will invite views on the available options for a national identity card scheme, including the possible use of a United Kingdom identity card as a travel document within Europe.
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold open meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement of (ii) voluntary.
Mr. Howard [holding answer 16 December 1994]: Details of appointments for which I am responsible are given in "Public Bodies 1993", a copy of which is in the Library.
The answers in relation to the advisory non-departmental public bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1993" and sponsored by the Home Department are as follows:
(a) none
(b) Boundary Commission for England--statutory
requirement--Boundary Commission for Wales--statutory requirement (c) Advisory council on the Misuse of Drugs--voluntary--Animal Procedures Committee--voluntary
(d) none
(e) none
(f) none
Maidstone Gaol
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to home leave arrangements at Maidstone gaol since 1 November.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 21 November 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about changes that have been made to home leave arrangements at Maidstone prison since 1 November 1994.
The more stringent risk assessment for temporary release (which includes home leave) for prisoners, announced on 18 November by the Home Secretary, has already been implemented at Maidstone. The new procedures, which include consideration of the victims' views if known, will provide for a more rigorous assessment to be made in considering all applications for home leave and temporary release.
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Police Funding
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish, by police force area, figures for total police funding in (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1994 95.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 12 December 1994]: In respect of 1995 96 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 1 December 1994 at column 844.
It is not possible to provide directly comparable figures for police funding in 1994 95. The elements of standard spending assessments relevant to police are, in the case of county forces, part of the counties' overall SSAs for the provision of local services. Police grant for 1994 95 is now being paid in respect of actual expenditure by police authorities. The nearest approximation to police funding in 1994 95 is therefore obtained by adding an estimate of that part of a county's SSA relevant to the police to estimated police grant. These figures are given and provide a rough basis for comparison with 1995 96 funding. They are not, however, directly comparable because:
(a) the 1994 95 financial year is not yet over and the expenditure figures are therefore still estimates; and,
(b) grant elements of the 1994 95 figures include forces' share of funding for common police services, whereas the 1995 96 grant element of the figures are shown after forces' share of funding for common police services have been taken into account. Section 31 of the Police Act 1964 as substituted by section 17 of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 does not provide for deductions from grant to fund common police services.
The table shows the totals of the estimated SSAs relevant and to police and police grants by English police force area in 1994 95. For 1994 95 and earlier years there were no SSAs for police authorities in Wales.
|£ million
Police force area |1994-95 estimated
|funding
----------------------------------------------------------------
English Forces
Avon and Somerset |139.82
Bedfordshire |53.16
Cambridgeshire |58.07
Cheshire |85.83
Cleveland |67.53
Cumbria |53.98
Derbyshire |83.56
Devon and Cornwall |136.75
Dorset |61.16
Durham |61.80
Essex |143.99
Gloucestershire |53.85
Hampshire |155.67
Hertfordshire |82.05
Humberside |91.65
Kent |152.38
Lancashire |147.20
Leicestershire |81.83
Lincolnshire |56.67
Norfolk |65.16
North Yorkshire |63.07
Northamptonshire |55.46
Nottinghamshire |105.02
Staffordshire |97.17
Suffolk |55.83
Surrey |84.75
Sussex |131.58
Thames Valley |191.25
Warwickshire |46.48
West Mercia |95.24
Wiltshire |58.45
|--------
English Shires Total |2,816.40
English Metropolitan Forces
Greater Manchester |314.56
Merseyside |213.26
Northumbria |163.10
South Yorkshire |136.84
West Midlands |314.92
West Yorkshire |240.90
|--------
English Metropolitan Total |1,383.58
Metropolitan Police |1,616.89
City of London |56.18
|--------
Total |5,873.05
Corporate Plan
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be publishing the next corporate plan; and what consultations with the trade unions will precede it.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 19 December 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about when the next Corporate Plan will be published; and what consultations with the trade unions will precede it.
We expect to publish the Corporate Plan for 1995 98 not later than 1 April 1995. We are happy to take account of any comments from the trade unions in preparing the draft Corporate Plan, which will then be submitted to the Home Secretary for approval. A meeting has already been arranged with the Prison Service Trade Union Side to discuss the next Corporate Plan on 20 December, and we will be happy to arrange further meetings with the unions if they so wish.
Prisoner Release (Victims)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether victims in individual cases will have the right to challenge a governor's decision to release a prisoner on home leave or temporary release;
(2) how victims will be made aware of any prisoner's applications for either home leave, temporary leave or parole.
(3) what legal advice he took prior to announcing the fact that he is to allow victims to influence decisions on prisoners' home leave in England and Wales;
(4) what mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the victims' helpline view is communicated to the governor in each case. (5) where the victims' home leave helpline will be located; and how many staff will be allocated to it;
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(6) what plans he has to make the victims' home leave hotline a freephone;(7) which individuals and organisations were consulted prior to his announcement of the victims' home leave helpline on 14 November; (8) what was the total number of home leave and temporary leave applications in England and Wales during 1993; and how many were granted.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 19 December 1994]: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the consultation with victims before decisions being taken about release on home leave and temporary licence and statistics on the number of applications made for such leave in 1993 and the number granted.
The new helpline is located in Birmingham as a discrete part of the Prisoner Location Service and will be initially staffed by four members of staff. Details of the victim concerns will be conveyed to the Governor of the prison concerned using a standard form and the victim notified in writing that this has taken place. There are no plans to make the Helpline free of charge but the calls made using the main number are charged only at local rate.
The introduction of the Victims' Helpline does not confer any new rights upon victims. The Helpline has been set up to enable victims to make their concerns known to the Prison Service by a more simple and direct means. There was therefore no need to seek fresh legal advice on the setting-up of the Victims' Helpline.
The introduction of a Helpline evolved from discussions within the Home Office Standing Victim Steering Group which includes representatives from all the criminal justice agencies and voluntarily organisations who considered that there should be a facility for stopping unwanted communications from prisoners to victims of crime. Consultation on the operation of the Helpline will continue with the relevant agencies concerned.
Current instructions on the consideration of home leave and temporary release applications already require governors to consider, where appropriate, consulting known victims or the police and probation services in order to establish known victim's concerns. It is already the case that the wishes of a victim who does not wish a prisoner to come back to the family home, where the offence was committed against a family member, must be respected and in these circumstances the application would be refused. In all other circumstances, the views of the victim will be taken fully into account, but it is for the governor in the light of all the known circumstances about the offender and the circumstances of the offence to decide whether home leave should be granted.
Statistics on the number of applications made by prisoners for home leave and temporary release are not currently recorded. The number of prisoners who were granted unescorted absences in 1993 was 29,000.
Reconviction Rates
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the reconviction rate following discharge from (a) approved schools, (b) community homes with in-house education facilities and (c) borstals for each year since 1974.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 19 December 1994]: After 1970 sentencing to an approved school order ceased to be a sentencing option available to the courts.
After 1983 borstal training ceased to be a sentencing option available to the courts. Information on reconvictions after discharge from borstal training is contained in chapter eight of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales, 1987", Cm 547. The relevant figures are
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contained in tables 8.7 and 8.10. Reconviction rates, after a two-year follow-up period, are quoted for males and females discharged from borstal training for each year from 1974 to 1983. The information requested on reconviction rates for community homes with in-house educational facilities is not centrally available.Suicides (Prison Staff)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides involving prison service staff have occurred in each of the past three years; and what steps have been put in place to support vulnerable staff.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 19 December 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 December 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about suicides involving Prison Service staff.
There were five staff suicides in 1992 and four in 1993. There have been ten this year, and the Prison Service is most concerned about this increase, as it is about each individual case. In all cases, the principal causes appear to have been related to their private lives rather than work.
The Prison Service has a staff care and welfare service whose role is to assist staff to give of their best by providing for them and their families a confidential service to enable them to deal with personal and work related problems.
A specific part off that role is to provide care support and counselling to staff who have been involved in incidents at work, to help prevent or relieve the symptoms of post traumatic stress which may result.
A workshop was held in November to examine issues related to staff suicide. A number of ideas emerged from this - relating, for example, to the provision of training in stress management, the operation of care teams and links with outside agencies, which will be examined further. We shall continue to keep this matter under very careful review to see whether there are additional steps which could helpfully be taken.
Marchioness
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what money he has allocated to meet the costs of legal representation for the police at the inquest into the Marchioness disaster scheduled for March 1995.
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