| Previous Section | Home Page |
Identity Cards
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek the opinions of the Governments of (a) the USA, (b) Canada, (c) Australia, (d) New Zealand, (e) Denmark and (f) Norway on the reasons they do not have compulsory ID cards. [27346]
Nr. Nicholas Baker: The Green Paper on identity cards published on 24 May 1995, Cm 2879, sets out information on the use of identity cards and other methods of identification in a number of different countries including those specified. We have no plans at present to seek further information on international experience.
Probation Officers
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the representations he has received from representatives of professional bodies concerning his proposals to change the nature of the qualifications and training of probation officers. [27318]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: We have received a large number of responses to the consultative proposals concerning probation officers' recruitment and qualifying training published earlier this year. It would not be appropriate for me to place copies of individual submissions in the Library, although when announcing the conclusions we expect to give an account of the nature and balance of the overall response. It is of course open to the hon. Member to approach directly those professional bodies in whose responses he has an interest, to establish whether they would be willing to make them available to him.
African National Congress (Bombing)
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 May, Official Report , column 289 , if the police have interviewed former British Telecom security officer, Mr. George Alton, in connection with the bombing of the London offices of the African National Congress in 1982. [27306]
Mr. Howard: The detailed conduct of a criminal investigation is a matter for the chief officer of police concerned. If anyone has information which might be relevant to this investigation it should be passed to the Metropolitan police.
Boundary Commission Report
Mr. Trend: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take in respect of the fourth periodical report of the Boundary Commission for England. [27374]
Mr. Howard: I have today laid before Parliament the fourth periodical report of the Boundary Commission for England together with a draft Order in Council for giving effect, without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report.
Column 126
Volunteering Report
Mr. Trend: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the "Make A Difference" team on volunteering in the United Kingdom will be published, and if he will make a statement. [27375]
Mr. Howard: The report prepared by the "Make a Difference" team-- "Make A Difference: An Outline Volunteering Strategy for the UK" was published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. I attended the launch of the report this morning. I am very grateful to the members of the "Make A Difference" team for their hard work and commitment in producing such a thorough report, with a wide range of recommendations.
Together with the report's publication, I announced the Government's response to the key recommendations it contained. I have today set out an action plan:
we will fund the creation of local volunteer development agencies in those parts of the country where no equivalent bodies exist now; our intention is to ensure country-wide coverage before the end of the century;
the establishment of a new national body in England, the Volunteering Partnership; its key tasks will be to advise me on promoting volunteering especially by young and older people, to stimulate the development of the local agencies and to ensure the development of opportunities for young people;
we are putting in place youth challenge, a scheme to ensure that by the end of 1997 there will be volunteering opportunities for all 15 to 25-year-olds who wish to volunteer;
individual applications have been invited for grants of up to £30,000 for 50 imaginative projects to promote volunteering by young and older people;
a new UK-wide "Make A Difference" award to recognise outstanding contributions by volunteering organisations;
a publicity campaign to promote volunteering.
Volunteers make a contribution of immeasurable value to this country. People who give up their time to help others greatly enrich their communities. Many millions already volunteer in this country, and many organisations support them. But there remains great untapped potential in those who could volunteer but choose not to. Our announcement today, which stresses "Every Hour Makes A Difference", will directly help to realise that potential.
Police Discipline
Mr. Butcher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy to permit disciplinary procedures to be pursued against a police officer even if that officer is unable to attend the hearing due to sickness; [26294]
(2) if he will change police discipline regulations and the regulations governing sickness so that the latter may not prevent proceeding with the former. [26295]
Mr. Maclean: The present provisions governing police discipline do not prevent discipline procedures from being pursued in respect of an officer who is sick and allow a disciplinary hearing to take place, if necessary, in the absence of a sick officer, subject to certain safeguards.
Mr. Butcher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the names of the private consultants who have certified the inability of an officer of the West Midlands police to attend disciplinary hearings; [26293]
Column 127
(2) how many officers from the West Midlands police force who have retired on sick pension in the last two years did so when they were subject to disciplinary investigation or charges; [26296](3) how many police officers have retired on sick pension from the West Midlands police force in the last two years. [26297]
Mr. Maclean: Under the terms of the Police Pensions Regulations 1987, medical retirement provisions are administered locally by police authorities. A record is not kept centrally of a police officer's medical consultants nor of the number and circumstances of ill-health retirements.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to stop police facing disciplinary charges from retiring early on medical grounds in order to avoid the completion of disciplinary proceedings. [25741]
Mr. Maclean: A police officer may retire from the service on grounds of disablement only if he or she is required by the police authority concerned to do so. This applies whether or not the officer faces disciplinary charges.
Casinos
Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to end the 48-hour rule on admission to casinos, to allow casinos limited advertising, to allow casinos to accept cheques and credit cards and to establish the right of appeal against decisions of the Gaming Board; and if he will make a statement. [26585]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: As part of the Government's deregulation initiative we have been reviewing the controls on gambling, including casino gaming. We hope to issue a consultation paper soon.
Custody Deaths
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged 25 years and under have died (a) in prison and (b) in police custody in England in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) so far this year. [26374]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The information requested is provided in the table:
Year |Prison Custody|Police Custody ------------------------------------------------------------ 1993 |23 |12 1994 |32 |10 1995 to date |9 |3
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department how many people aged 25 years and under have died (a) in prison and (b) in police custody in Wales in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) so far thisyear. [26375]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The information requested is provided in the table:
Year |Prison Custody|Prison Custody ------------------------------------------------------------ 1993 |0 |0 1994 |3 |0 1995 to date |0 |0
Remand Prisoners
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male prisoners were received on remand during 1993 and 1994; and how many were eventually (a) given a custodial sentence, (b) given a non-custodial sentence and (c) acquitted or not proceeded with. [26196]
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 Dr. Lynne Jones, dated May 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many male prisoners were received on remand during 1993 and 1994, and how many were eventually (a) given a custodial sentence, (b) given a non-custodial sentence and(c) acquitted or not proceeded with.
Information on the number of males received on remand into a Prison Service establishment in England and Wales in 1993 and 1994 is shown in table 1. Information on the court outcome is available for 1993 from court remand statistics and is given in table 2.
Table 1: Receptions<1> into Prison Service establishments of untried and convicted unsentenced male prisoners in 1993 and 1994 Males |<2>1993|<2>1994 -------------------------------------------------------- Untried prisoners |50,918 |53,796 Convicted unsentenced prisoners |28,593 |30,919 All remand prisoners |59,914 |64,189 <1>"All remand prisoners" describes those prisoners received firstly as an untried prisoner then subsequently as a convicted unsentenced prisoner. They are included only once in the figure. <2>Provisional figures.
Table 2: Final court outcome for males remanded in custody at
some stage in magistrates' court proceedings<1> in 1993
|Estimated
|percentages
England and Wales<> |Males
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final court outcome<2>
Acquitted not proceeded with etc |22
Non-custodial sentence: |36
Community sentence<3> |20
Fine |7
Absolute or conditional discharge |6
Other non-custodial sentence |3
Custodial sentence |42
Total |100
<1>Includes persons remanded in custody by magistrates during proceedings
or on committal.
<2>Includes estimated outcome at the Crown Court for those committed for
trial or sentence.
<3>Includes CSO, probation, supervision orders, attendance centre orders.
Smoke Alarms
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow metropolitan fire authorities to distribute and install smoke alarms free of charge. [26312]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: Fire authorities are not required to obtain the permission of my right hon. and learned Friend to distribute and install smoke alarms free of charge. But it has recently been suggested that there may
Column 129
be a legal impediment to this practice. The Department is currently looking into this.Aids
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons currently operate viral infectivity restrictions for prisoners with HIV/AIDS; and what proportion this represents of the total number of prison establishments within England and Wales. [26412]
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. Harry Cohen, dated6 June 1995 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the operation of viral infectivity restrictions for prisoners with HIV and or AIDS.
Of those prisons which currently hold inmates known to have HIV infection, none operates viral infectivity restrictions.
When the last survey was carried out in December 1993 7 prisons said that they would apply VIR to HIV positive prisoners. However at that time, as at present, none of these prisons hold inmates with HIV infection.
Video Evidence
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to implement the principal recommendations of the Pigot committee on the taking of evidence from very young children; and what review he has undertaken of the present working of the law in this area. [26205]
Mr. Maclean: The Criminal Justice Act 1991 implemented most of the recommendations made by the
Column 130
advisory group on video evidence. The only significant recommendation which has not been implemented concerns the pre- trial cross-examination of child witnesses. This remains under consideration. We are not yet persuaded that such a system would be in the best interests of the child.We commissioned a major research study by Professor Graham Davies of Leicester university into the effectiveness of the child evidence provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. The report of this study entitled "Videotaping children's evidence: an evaluation", was published on 18 May. I am sending a copy to the hon. Gentleman.
Special Constables
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to enable more special constables to be recruited in north Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25673]
Mr. Maclean: The recruitment of special constables in north Wales is a matter for the chief constable. But north Wales is benefiting from the national advertising campaign launched last October. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 24 November at column 288 .
Departmental Staff
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff of (a) the Home Office and (b) agencies for which the Home Office is responsible(i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993 94 and (2) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25509]
Mr. Howard: The information is set out in the table. All agencies are part of the Home Office.
Column 129
|(i) Early |(ii) Voluntary |(iii) Compulsory|(iv) Medical
Area |Time |retirement<2> |redundancy |redundancy |grounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home Office (main) |1993-94 |22 |1 |52 |32
|1994-95 |28 |1 |10 |56
|<1>1995-96 |4 |0 |3 |3
Prison Service |1993-94 |16 |3 |2 |381
|1994-95 |8 |2 |4 |271
|<1>1995-96 |1 |0 |0 |5
United Kingdom Passport |1993-94 |0 |0 |0 |11
Agency |1994-95 |2 |0 |0 |7
|<1>1995-96 |0 |0 |0 |3
Forensic Science Service |1993-94 |1 |0 |0 |0
|1994-95 |6 |0 |0 |6
|<1>1995-96 |0 |0 |0 |0
Fire Service College |1993-94 |0 |2 |0 |9
|1994-95 |0 |0 |0 |1
|<1>1995-96 |1 |0 |0 |0
<1> To 23 May 1995.
<2> Excludes redundancy and retirement on medical grounds.
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the annual cost to the Department of staff leaving under redundancy early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payments, (ii) redundancy payments, (iii) pension payments including enhancements (iv) any other special arrangements for (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and projected for (c) 1995-96 and (d) 1996-97.
Mr. Howard: The costs to the department of early retirement and redundancies are borne from the Department's running costs provision.
A detailed breakdown of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The total costs borne on the Department's running costs, in respect of early retirements and redundancies, in 1993 94 and 1994 95 were £3,191,837 and £2,573,353.
Column 131
Projected costs for 1995 96 are not yet available, and projections for 1996 97 will be determined during the coming public expenditure survey.Police Research Group
Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has made of the report of the Home Office police research group on policing and neighbourhood watch; and if he will make a statement. [25210]
Mr. Maclean: I welcome the publication of the police research group report on policing and neighbourhood watch and its proposals for extending neighbourhood watch as part of the overall strategy for developing effective and efficient use of police resources. The report has been discussed with the Association of Chief Police Officers' sub-committee on crime prevention and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. The report and its implications will now be given careful consideration.
Police (Protective Clothing)
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when every police officer in London will be provided with a bullet- proof or knife-proof vest; [25069]
(2) how many bullet-proof vests have been issued in London to police officers. [25068]
Mr. Maclean: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, at present, approximately 5,500 protective vests are available for use by officers in the Metropolitan police district. The Commissioner is considering various options relating to the issue of protective clothing to all police officers and expects to make proposals to us shortly.
Stolen Vehicles
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the recovery rate for stolen vehicles in 1994 (a) in total and (b) by constabulary. [26178]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 25 May 1995]: Revised figures for 1994 are given in the table. They up-date the figures given in the reply to the hon. Member on 1 May at columns 96-98. These figures remain provisional and finalised data will be published in the command paper, "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1994", later this year.
Notifiable offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by
the police,
1994 percentage of vehicles recovered by police forces
area<1>
|Percentage
Police Force area |recovered
--------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |19
Bedfordshire |62
Cambridgeshire |43
Cheshire |53
Cleveland |55
Cumbria |67
Derbyshire |62
Devon and Cornwall |85
Dorset |63
Durham |49
Essex |73
Gloucestershire |67
Greater Manchester |64
Hampshire |51
Hertfordshire |68
Humberside |85
Kent |53
Lancashire |81
Leicestershire |72
Lincolnshire |82
City of London |86
Merseyside |73
Metropolitan Police |-
Norfolk |50
Northamptonshire |53
Northumbria |71
North Yorkshire |60
Nottinghamshire |61
South Yorkshire |57
Staffordshire |57
Suffolk |66
Surrey |47
Sussex |50
Thames Valley |62
Warwickshire |73
West Mercia |75
West Midlands |70
West Yorkshire |60
Wiltshire |46
Dyfed-Powys |-
Gwent |61
North Wales |75
South Wales |65
England and Wales |62<2>
<1> Provisional.
<2> Excluding the Metropolitan Police and Dyfed-Powys.
Immigration Detainees
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are currently detained under Immigration Act powers in (a) Immigration Service detention centres and (b) Prison Service establishments. [26290]
Mr. Nicholas Baker [holding answer 25 May 1995]: The latest available data is given in the table.
Persons in
detention under
Immigration Act
powers<1>
|Immigration
|Service
Category of |Date to which |detention |Prison Service
person |data relate |centres |establishments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Port asylum
applicants<2> |10 May 1995 |228 |50
Other port
cases<3> and
persons subject
to enforcement
action |23 May 1995 |153 |204
|381 |254
<1> Excluding persons held in police cells.
<2> Figures exclude 45 persons for whom the place of detention is not
recorded in the statistics.
<3> Excluding passengers refused leave to enter at the ports who have been
in detention for less than a month; these statistics are not held
centrally.
Irish Terrorist Prisoners
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted of IRA offences held in prisons on the mainland; and how many have been approved for transfer to prisons in Ireland and Northern Ireland. [25402]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 22 May 1995]: A total of 35 prisoners convicted of Irish terrorist offences are currently held in prisons in England and Wales. The transfer of one prisoner to Northern Ireland has been approved subject to the outcome of further criminal proceedings. No prisoners have been approved for transfer to the Republic of Ireland.
Wheelclamping
Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the assessment by the Association of Chief Police Officers of (a) the extent of problems associated with wheelclamping on private land and (b) the practicality of proposals to overcome these. [25867]
Column 134
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 24 May 1995]: The assessment was made by the Association of Chief Police Officers as part of the process of developing and considering possible policy options and it would not therefore be appropriate to publish it. I can, however, say that it indicated that the problems arising from the activities of unscrupulous operators are confined to a few force areas and that there is not considered to be a significant problem in other forces.
Notifiable Offences
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded in each borough by the Metropolitan police within each category of crime in 1994; how may incidents of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and of theft from a motor vehicle were recorded in each borough; and how many of the burglaries recorded in each borough were (a) in a dwelling and (b) in another building. [23877]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 May 1995]: The information requested has been supplied by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and is contained in the following table:
Column 133
Notifiable offences recorded by the Local Authority Borough or District
Metropolitan Police District 1994 Number of offences
|Violence |Burglary |Theft and |Burglary
|against |and |handling |Fraud |Theft |Burglary |in
|the |Sexual |going |stolen |and |Criminal |Other |Theft of |from |in a |another
Borough/District |Total |person |offences |Robbery |equipped |goods |forgery |damage |offences |vehicle |vehicle |dwelling |building
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking |14,938 |677 |124 |202 |3,558 |6,471 |513 |3,288 |105 |1,045 |2,095 |1,962 |1,591
Barnet |24,524 |778 |169 |389 |5,046 |11,326 |868 |5,794 |154 |1,085 |4,885 |3,912 |1,898
Bexley |17,831 |794 |181 |173 |3,502 |8,266 |518 |4,296 |101 |1,105 |2,740 |2,208 |1,205
Brent |26,149 |1,527 |209 |1,875 |4,985 |10,778 |987 |5,590 |198 |805 |3,307 |3,119 |1,245
Bromley |27,893 |1,297 |180 |264 |5,593 |13,080 |791 |6,518 |170 |1,131 |4,765 |3,752 |1,765
Camden |35,746 |1,491 |158 |1,176 |6,313 |19,612 |1,267 |5,443 |286 |1,163 |5,597 |3,633 |2,635
Croydon |32,520 |2,187 |286 |632 |6,116 |14,829 |1,232 |7,009 |229 |1,217 |4,859 |4,038 |2,066
Ealing |28,127 |1,434 |222 |749 |4,566 |12,943 |1,232 |6,806 |175 |1,367 |4,123 |3,196 |1,366
Enfield |20,996 |1,380 |160 |373 |4,039 |9,404 |805 |4,712 |123 |876 |4,165 |2,795 |1,828
Greenwich |32,519 |1,902 |408 |471 |7,021 |13,784 |872 |7,774 |287 |1,461 |4,457 |4,944 |2,046
Hackney |29,263 |1,529 |265 |2,251 |7,364 |11,708 |1,075 |4,750 |321 |498 |1,721 |2,816 |984
Hammersmith |23,332 |1,201 |142 |823 |4,249 |11,877 |641 |4,239 |160 |897 |4,967 |2,882 |1,353
Haringey |22,313 |1,363 |197 |1,184 |4,393 |9,888 |779 |4,325 |184 |1,259 |2,972 |3,161 |1,183
Harrow |14,591 |653 |101 |255 |3,140 |6,164 |578 |3,633 |67 |378 |2,216 |2,154 |966
Havering |17,637 |532 |299 |110 |3,652 |8,802 |623 |3,557 |62 |1,658 |2,461 |2,039 |1,581
Hillingdon |23,316 |1,190 |133 |183 |4,169 |10,791 |674 |6,074 |102 |988 |4,127 |2,413 |1,489
Hounslow |27,476 |1,854 |306 |423 |5,371 |10,882 |1,125 |6,976 |539 |816 |3,296 |2,467 |1,482
Islington |27,682 |1,895 |191 |1,098 |4,913 |13,125 |758 |5,339 |363 |984 |4,002 |2,778 |1,588
Kensington and
Chelsea |27,706 |1,072 |153 |956 |4,408 |16,346 |959 |3,570 |242 |702 |3,058 |2,931 |630
Kingston |19,499 |1,158 |109 |251 |4,438 |8,258 |621 |4,322 |342 |325 |2,542 |1,933 |1,541
Lambeth |30,418 |2,223 |292 |2,236 |5,866 |12,605 |898 |5,940 |358 |978 |3,160 |5,459 |1,503
Lewisham |30,532 |2,076 |297 |1,096 |7,474 |12,702 |887 |5,607 |393 |1,527 |3,995 |5,395 |2,080
Merton |18,474 |967 |135 |451 |3,466 |8,309 |903 |4,106 |137 |676 |2,319 |1,700 |1,013
Newham |30,157 |1,748 |617 |1,040 |6,606 |13,189 |1,042 |5,695 |220 |1,718 |3,752 |3,303 |2,329
Redbridge |20,294 |1,002 |140 |266 |3,811 |10,112 |1,002 |3,817 |144 |1,183 |1,566 |1,539 |727
Richmond |15,292 |903 |124 |260 |3,693 |6,364 |436 |3,301 |211 |323 |1,873 |1,604 |981
Southwark |40,836 |2,840 |353 |2,292 |7,734 |18,008 |1,312 |7,810 |487 |1,953 |6,117 |5,040 |2,710
Sutton |13,881 |819 |126 |112 |3,429 |6,071 |436 |2,800 |88 |606 |1,706 |2,166 |1,220
Tower Hamlets |25,084 |1,345 |192 |532 |4,938 |12,009 |700 |5,118 |250 |1,090 |3,705 |1,708 |2,405
Wandsworth |36,889 |2,234 |323 |1,353 |6,905 |15,480 |1,457 |8,152 |986 |1,238 |5,024 |3,137 |1,510
Waltham Forest |20,309 |1,119 |106 |649 |3,815 |9,749 |745 |4,025 |101 |1,279 |2,654 |2,353 |1,433
Westminster |56,796 |2,020 |252 |2,051 |6,950 |36,560 |2,837 |5,642 |484 |636 |4,629 |2,611 |3,443
Broxbourne (part) |3,413 |265 |8 |23 |448 |1,756 |102 |800 |11 |90 |849 |345 |303
Elmbridge (part) |2,269 |167 |25 |177 |141 |1,138 |81 |514 |26 |0 |17 |7 |7
Epping Forest (part) |4,306 |305 |21 |24 |605 |2,206 |150 |959 |36 |304 |701 |364 |229
Epsom and Ewell |5,937 |293 |41 |41 |1,432 |2,432 |198 |1,459 |41 |154 |771 |746 |418
Hertsmere |5,219 |161 |30 |43 |732 |2,634 |179 |1,419 |21 |161 |1,060 |369 |335
Reigate and
Banstead (part) |2,607 |144 |9 |5 |519 |1,106 |116 |689 |19 |71 |459 |334 |177
Spelthorne |8,817 |596 |65 |53 |1,971 |3,631 |257 |2,110 |134 |187 |1,460 |514 |784
Welwyn Hatfield
(part) |55 |3 |1 |0 |6 |27 |7 |7 |4 |1 |10 |7 |4
Heathrow Airport |4,640 |66 |7 |69 |53 |3,473 |415 |325 |232 |50 |375 |4 |20
Thames |93 |0 |0 |0 |1 |61 |0 |31 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Central Cheque
Squad |1,376 |0 |0 |0 |0 |68 |1,226 |80 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0
MPD total |871,752 |47,210 |7,157 |26,611 |167,431 |408,024 |32,304 |174,421 |8,594 |33,985 |118,557 |97,828 |54,074
Detainees
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 May, Official Report column 364 , how the overall weekly cost of detaining a person under Immigration Act powers in accommodation for which the Immigration Service is responsible is calculated. [26271]
Mr. Nicholas Baker [holding answer 25 May 1995]: The overall cost of detention in the Immigration Service estate is calculated by adding together the costs for custodial and escorting services, running costs, accommodation charges, staff costs and capital costs. This is then divided by the average daily number of detainees to give a unit cost per detainee day, from which the weekly figure is calculated.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of18 May, Official Report , column 364 , how the average cost of detaining a person under Immigration Act powers, in accommodation for which the Immigration Service is responsible, has been reduced between 1993 94 and the current cost. [26272]
Mr. Nicholas Baker [holding answer 25 May 1995]: The reduction in costs is largely due to a reduction in the use of expensive ad hoc accommodation. This is a consequence of an increase in the number of places available within the Immigration Service detention estate.
Arrests
Mr. Bendall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many operations have been mounted to enforce section 167 of the Criminal Justice
Column 136
and Public Order Act 1994; how many arrests have been made; how many prosecutions have been initiated; how many convictions obtained; and what sentences were given in consequence. [26183]Mr. Maclean [holding answer 25 May 1995]: Information on the number of operations mounted and arrests made is not collected centrally. Information on court proceedings under section 167 of the Act will not be available until autumn 1996.
Tomorrow's Job"
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have co-operated with the Metropolitan police in the "Tomorrow's Job" investigation; when the investigation started; what was the main focus of the investigation; how many people have been interviewed; how many premises have been visited; if he will list the charges which have been laid indicating, in each case, the outcome; and if he will make a statement. [25985]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 25 May 1995]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that all forces who received copies of the publication "Tomorrow's Job" have co-operated fully with the Metropolitan police in the inquiry, which started immediately after distribution of the publication in early March of this year. The main focus of the investigation is to establish who published the paper; what was the purpose of publication; and who was involved in its
distribution. The investigation is still in progress and to date two arrests have been made. It would not be right for me to give further details at this stage.
Column 135
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Science Budget
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the work of the scientific document centre based in Dunfermline in developing the European resource of serials projects with particular reference to the preparation of Union list databases; and what is his Department's policy in respect of provision of public funds to rival companies in this area. [27307]
Mr. Horam: My Department's science budget is used to provide grant- in-aid to the research councils, the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering and for a programme on the public understanding of science. It does not fund any work in this area.
Government Policy
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many hours per week he spends co-ordinating the presentation of Government policy. [26015]
Mr. David Hunt: I spend as much time as necessary on all my responsibilities.
Citizens Charter
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to publish new citizens charters; and if he will list the areas to be covered. [26571]
Mr. Horam: We are hoping to publish new charters for further and higher education in Northern Ireland in the autumn. We also have a programme for publishing revised charters. A revised contributors charter for national insurance payers was published in April and we will be shortly following this up with revised charters for council tenants, court users and people travelling through Customs points.
Duchy Affairs
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many hours per week he spends on Duchy affairs. [26726]
Mr. David Hunt: I spend as much time as necessary on all my responsibilities.
Archway Tower
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the Property Services Agency on the future use by Government Departments of the Archway tower, Junction road, London N19; and if he will make a statement. [26978]
Mr. Horam: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has not had any discussions about the future use of Archway tower.
Information Superhighways
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when will CCTA report on their work on information superhighways in general and the Internet in particular. [24875]
Mr. Horam: In accordance with the undertaking given by the then Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science, on 24 January, Official Report ,
| Next Section
| Home Page |