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Prison Service Funding

Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the overall target reduction in operating costs for the Prison Service agency per baseline certified normal accommodation place over the four years 1995-96 to 1999-2000 implicit in the November 1996 announcements on funding for the Prison Service (a) excluding extra funds for implementing the Woodcock report and for mandatory drug testing and (b) including such funds. [15510]

Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 17 February 1997]: 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 Richard Tilt to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated 18 February 1997:





Absconding Prisoners

Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers of (a) absconds from open conditions and (b) temporary leave failures for the Prison Service for 1992-93, and for each subsequent year. [15512]

Miss Widdeombe [holding answer 17 February 1997]: 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.

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 530

Letter from Richard Tilt to Sir Ivan Lawrence dated 18 February 1997:



Absconds from open conditions(31)

Number
1 April 1992 to 31 March 19931,432
1 April 1993 to 31 March 19941,403
1 April 1994 to 31 March 19951,192
1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996947
1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997886

(31) The above figures include absconds from establishments which have both an open and closed element.


Temporary release failures(32)

Number
1 April 1992 to 31 March 19933,378
1 April 1993 to 31 March 19942,740
1 April 1994 to 31 March 19951,825
1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996438
1 April 1996 to 31 January 1997220

(32) The above are prisoners who failed to return and were reported to the police as unlawfully at large.


Prison Service (Early Retirement)

Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are now expected to leave the Prison Service as a result of the voluntary early retirement and severance scheme. [15513]

Miss Widdecome [holding answer 17 February 1997]: 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 Richard Tilt to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated 18 February 1997:



18 Feb 1997 : Column: 531

Prisons (Staffing Levels)

Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the staff to inmate ratio for the Prison Service in 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990 and in each subsequent year. [15514]

Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 17 February 1997]: 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 Richard Tilt to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated 18 February 1997:



YearStaffPrisoner
197012.47
197512.02
198012.30
198512.02
1990(33)11.40
199111.40
199211.31
199311.17
199411.24
199511.26
199611.33

(33) The fall reflects the change in prison officer working practices and the reduction in their hours worked.


Prison Officer Kettleborough (Injuries)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Prison Officer Kettleborough has applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for compensation in respect of injuries during the Whitemoor escape. [15594]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 17 February 1997]: It is not the practice of either the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board or the new Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to disclose details about individual applications.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the nature of the gunshot wound suffered by Prison Officer Kettleborough at the time of the Whitemoor escape; and for how long he remained in hospital. [15595]

Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 17 February 1997]: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 18 February 1997:



18 Feb 1997 : Column: 532

Crime Clear-up Rates

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the crime clear-up rates for each police force in England in the most recent year for which figures are available. [16220]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 17 February 1997]: The latest information relates to 1995 and is published in table 2.11 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1995" (Cm 3421), a copy of which is available in the Library.

Policing (London)

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much an average band D council tax payer in London paid towards policing costs in 1996-97; and if he will estimate (a) the cost for 1997-98 and (b) the percentage change. [16218]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 17 February 1997]: For 1996-97, the receiver for the Metropolitan police district issued a precept of £49.84 per property in council tax band D for Metropolitan police purposes. The budget proposals for 1997-98, which the receiver has submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend for approval, would require a precept of £57.00 per property in council tax band D. This would be an increase of 14.4 per cent.

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police constables there were in London in each division and area in each of the years from 1992 to 1997. [16219]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 17 February 1997]: The information requested is given in the following two tables. Owing to restructuring in the Metropolitan police in 1994, when the number of areas was reduced from eight to five, valid comparisons of area police strength cannot be made between the two tables. Figures for January 1995 appear in both tables as some officers were still in the process of being transferred from the old to the new restructured areas.

The number of constables in the Metropolitan police will increase during 1997 as a result of the 3.4 per cent. funding increase for the Metropolitan police for 1997-98 over their 1996-97 allocation.

Metropolitan police constable strength

7 January 1992 total4 January 1993 total7 January 1994 total3 January 1995 total
1. Area HQ388398403.63
Tottenham232229228--
Hornsey219206.6213.6--
Ponders End222218232--
Enfield192202202.46--
Holloway211200212.6--
Islington256224235.5--
Leyton180179.4180.4--
Ilford202192201--
Chingford192184.4189.4--
Barkingside218202210.4--
Total2,5122,435.42,508.963
2. Area HQ368362310.4289
Hackney277260258--
Stoke Newington242223247--
Bethnal Green156138136--
Leman Street155148149--
Limehouse245220239--
Havering293283293.01--
Dagenham222231232--
Plaistow233226242.8--
West Ham241227214.68--
Total2,4322,3182,321.89289
3 .Area HQ357345.6340.510
Southwark248224239.53--
Peckham239232.9245.5--
Walworth212189199--
Catford211223204.6--
Lewisham266249.6264.8--
Orpington187164.44165.58--
Bromley225205203--
Greenwich223208197.8--
Plumstead224223211--
Bexleyheath227216.5214.6--
Total2,6192,481.042,485.9110
4. Area HQ296286275184
Brixton231232240--
Kennington132130130.6--
Clapham175177.5155.9--
Streatham222208204.8--
Wimbledon249229.4251--
Croydon250222221-
South Norwood239246.6236.19--
Epsom319292.5303.5--
Total2,1132,0242,017.99184
5. Area HQ378373.4371.6860
Wandsworth173157165--
Battersea195167167.8--
Tooting177179192.5--
Hounslow215202214.2--
Chiswick152141.4158.7--
Twickenham251218244.95--
Spelthorne151140.4158.2--
Kingston319294.4312.7--
Total2,0111,872.61,985.7360
6. Area HQ311287.6281.1270
Heathrow366362.55348.94--
Ealing274260.58281.23--
Southall200215.7219.78--
Hayes161------
Uxbridge193------
Hillingdon--347.9347.98--
Chelsea149135153--
Kensington179163168.1--
Notting Hill174172181--
Hammersmith273266261.33--
Fulham139147158--
Total2,4192,357.332,400.46270
7. Area HQ368362.4350.1310
West Hendon188184193.6--
Hampstead206196174--
Kentish Town220203199--
Holborn161156.7150.7--
Harrow223207.2220.2--
Wembley204181.91197.7--
Kilburn313298286--
Barnet219226239.4--
Golders Green160160.3162.6--
Total2,2622,175.512,173.3310
8. Area HQ355383376355
West End Central175270249--
Vine Street106------
Charing Cross275313.4347.3--
Paddington219217219--
Maryleborne192204204.4--
Harrow Road173172174--
Belgravia258254.8261.5--
Total1,7531,814.21,831.2355
Total areas18,12117,478.0817,725.441,481

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 534

Metropolitan police constable strength

3 January 19958 January 19962 January 1997
1. Area Central HQ15543449.6
Belgravia252.55249.15248.26
Notting Hill192184199.6
Brompton290.83302.4313.2
West End Central246247239
Charing Cross318.9317.1324.7
Marylebone200.1265.9260.7
Paddington Green367.6280.6279
Fulham167170.73179.73
Hammersmith258.2251.4270.66
Total2,308.182,811.282,764.45
2. Area NW HQ42504.98522.18
Hampstead170172165.15
Kentish Town211.7220.86221
Holborn170.2166.1157.8
Holloway212.6211.9200.9
Islington238.5234.1250.7
Harrow218.2233.8225.4
Wembley209.7208.6218.6
Kilburn307.88289.14294.26
Barnet250235.3220.26
Golders Green163.1169.9172.15
West Hendon198196.6183.9
Ealing276.93289.68283.28
Southall226.68231.96228.3
Hornsey224.95218.6208.3
Tottenham232217215.1
Total3,352.443,800.523,767.28
3. Area NE HQ323.8685651.5
Shoreditch and Hackney268.68260.6257.8
Stoke Newington283.5269.94271.24
Limehouse230220.4216.4
Whitechapel265.7265.7264.4
Barkingside234.4230.5232.8
Chingford193.8188.3189.5
Ilford202.49203203.6
Leyton195.4185193.92
Havering297.57287.09287.05
Forest Gate247.28255.68253.48
Dagenham243.6244.2243.45
Plaistow256.8250257.4
Edmonton213.2208.38210.78
Enfield222222.7232.7
Total3,678.223,976.493,966.02
4. Area SE HQ362509488.75
Southwark228.12246.08245.88
Peckham242.6259.63247.03
Walworth219227.4212.5
Catford205.7240.8239.7
Lewisham271.8279.8264.6
Bromley and Orpington396.43395.44374.44
Plumstead249.5276.95261.35
Greenwich213.7235.96249.1
Bexleyheath228238.5228.3
Croydon237.5231.3230.36
South Norwood260.8274.78263.58
Epsom345.3348.78324.63
Total3460.453764.423630.22
5. Area SW HQ344.4573.2569.56
Heathrow346.39335.19313.99
Brixton254.75249.1257.9
Streatham215.9221.01221.61
Vauxhall332.1300.9297.24
Chiswick152.7155.5152.5
Hounslow204.6209.7209.7
Spelthorne148.2152.2151.6
Twickenham228.65251.65234.85
Kingston293.44311.94285.84
Battersea228.8227.8243.9
Wandsworth269.98283.48283.48
Hillingdon351352.5335.2
Wimbledon288.45265.85259.25
Total3659.363890.023816.62
Total areas16458.6518242.7317944.59

18 Feb 1997 : Column: 535


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