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Fraud
Mr. McWilliam: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total value of fraud cases reported in the last five years. [9562]
Mr. Maclean: Figures are collected centrally on the number of fraud offences recorded by the police, but not on their total value.
Bull Bars
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if all bull bars have now been removed from police vehicles. [9938]
Mr. Maclean: As I stated in my reply to an earlier question from the hon. Member on 29 November 1995, Official Report, columns 781-82, this is an operational matter for chief constables. The information requested is not available centrally, but the Association of Chief Police Officers has written to every force suggesting that they remove bull bars from their vehicles.
Internet
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what legal controls there are in respect of material providing instructions on explosives and weapons on the Internet; and if he will make a statement; [10479]
- (2) if he will press for the prosecution of those Internet providers who publish the detailed processes of making explosives and bombs; and if he will make a statement. [10483]
Mr. Maclean: There are no specific legal controls in respect of material providing instructions on explosives and weapons whether that material is contained on the Internet or any other medium. A person could, however, be liable to prosecution under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 if they actually carried out the instructions to make an explosive device, or the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 for simply acquiring or keeping explosives without an explosives certificate from the police.
In such cases, it is the responsibility of the police to decide whether there are sufficient grounds to launch a criminal investigation, and that of the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to prosecute those alleged to be responsible for the material.
Mr. Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to meet the Internet providers so as to eliminate the practice of the Internet making available chemical and other data required for making bombs and incendiary devices; [10481]
24 Jan 1996 : Column: 262
(3) what legislation he plans to bring forward to prevent Internet providers publishing manuals on bomb making and terrorist activities; and if he will make a statement. [10482]
Mr. Maclean:
Officials have discussed with Internet service providers concerns about the availability of unsuitable material on the Internet, and ways of controlling access by children and young people to such material. The Government are currently considering the most suitable way of tackling the issue.
The general question of regulation of the Internet and other computer networks is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, who has commissioned a short study on the subject of unsuitable material on the Internet to identify the issues and possible solutions.
Mr. Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the availability on the Internet of information on the making of bombs and the materials required for the making of bombs and on the techniques of terrorism. [11032]
Mr. Maclean:
My right hon. and learned Friend has received one letter expressing concern about the availability of information on the Internet providing instructions on how to make bombs and on terrorist techniques.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional help and support the Deputy Director General of the Prison Service is receiving pending the appointment of a new Director General. [10878]
Miss Widdecombe:
The temporary Director General of the Prison Service receives the same administrative support as his predecessor.
Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 December, Official Report, column 966, against whom a case was brought by the Commission for Racial Equality on the basis that the ethnic profile of employees was such as to be inconsistent with appointments made purely on merit; if he will indicate in that case the percentage of employees who were from (a) white European and (b) ethnic minority backgrounds; and if he will make a statement of the implications of that case for (i) employers generally and (ii) the Commission for Racial Equality in particular, which employs high percentages of its work force from the ethnic minorities. [11048]
24 Jan 1996 : Column: 263
Mr. Kirkhope:
My reply of 18 December 1995, Official Report, column 966, was incorrectly printed and should have read:
Mrs. Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy in future to appoint to the Commission for Racial Equality such members that its ethnic profile broadly reflects that of the United Kingdom as a whole. [11046]
Mr. Kirkhope:
We believe that it is desirable for the 15 members of the Commission for Racial Equality to be drawn from a broad range of communities in the United Kingdom and we shall continue to take this into account when making appointments.
Mrs. Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 December, Official Report, column 965, if he will require the Commission for Racial Equality in future to record the ethnic background both of complainants and of those against whom the complaint is made. [11047]
Mr. Kirkhope:
The Commission for Racial Equality already monitors the ethnic origin of complainants. It is not practicable to monitor the ethnic origin of those against whom the complaint is made as these will usually be organisations rather than individuals.
Mr. Batiste:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of constables employed by the West Yorkshire police force currently; what the figures were in (a) 1990, (b) 1985 and (c) 1980; and what is the projected figure for 1999. [10733]
Mr. Maclean:
The number of constables employed by West Yorkshire police in these years was:
24 Jan 1996 : Column: 264
Ms Janet Anderson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the total annual cost of dealing with young people aged 10 to 17 years in the judicial and custodial systems; [10940]
Mr. Maclean:
We estimate that, including police, court, legal aid, Crown Prosecution Service, probation and prison service costs, the total annual cost to the criminal justice system in 1994-95 of dealing with juvenile offenders aged 10 to 17 years was about £130 million. We estimate that the average cost was about £1,000. These estimates do not include the costs to social services and the education system, which are not available.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between the Whittington hospital county midwifery services and Her Majesty's Prison Holloway concerning access to medical care for women prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [11640]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
(2) how he proposes to prevent children and students having access via the Internet to material illustrating how explosives and bombs might be made; [10480]
Arrangements have already been made to amend the bound volume of the Official Report.
"None of the cases brought or supported by the commission against employers in the last year was on the basis that the ethnic profile of its employees was such as to be inconsistent with appointments made purely on merit.
Information on whether such a profile has been a significant factor in other cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost".
(a) September 1980: 3,660
Between March and September 1995 the number of constables in the force increased by 89. The chief constable has also said that he expects overall police strength in West Yorkshire to increase by 135 in the year to March 1996. Projections for 1999 are a matter for the chief constable and police authority. However, West Yorkshire police's share of the extra funding being provided to recruit 5,000 additional officers nationally over three years is likely to be sufficient to enable 200 extra constables to be recruited by March 1999.
(b) September 1985: 3,739
(c) September 1990: 3,992
(d) September 1995 1 : 3,961
1 Latest date centrally available.
(2) what is the average cost of processing the case of a juvenile offender from offence to completion, to (a) the police, (b) the Crown Prosecution Service, (c) the social services, (d) the education system and (e) the courts, and in total. [10866]
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