19 Feb 1997 : Column: 547

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 19 February 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

Prison Births

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what decision has been made about whether, in the event of Roisin McAliskey giving birth while in custody, she will be handcuffed to a birthing partner or prison officer while the child is being delivered; [15636]

Miss Widdecombe [holding answers 17 February 1997]: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 19 February 1997:




Criminal Record Checks

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in England and Wales, how many criminal record checks were carried out on behalf of (a) local authorities, (b) health bodies, (c) independent schools, (d) grant-maintained schools, (e) further education establishments, (f) voluntary organisations and (g) nursery groups by each police force in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93 for each year ended 31 March from 1993 to 1996; and in each case how many checks revealed a criminal conviction. [16584]

Mr. Maclean: This information is not available centrally in the form requested. The total number of criminal record checks carried out on behalf of local authorities, statutory health bodies, independent schools, grant-maintained schools and further education establishments under the child protection arrangements outlined in Home Office circular 47/93 for the years ended 31 March 1993 to 31 March 1996, and the number of those checks which revealed a criminal conviction, was as follows:

YearTotal number of checksNumber revealing convictions(1)
1993654,47233,894
1994609,43438,162
1995607,57339,679
1996613,16338,809

(1) Not all forces were able to provide details of the number of checks which revealed convictions.


19 Feb 1997 : Column: 548

No figures are available on the number of criminal record checks carried out for voluntary organisations or on people working in nursery groups.

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the frequency of checks on individuals under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16585]

Mr. Maclean: Home Office circular 47/93 advises that in the case of agency staff employed by a local authority or health authority a check should be regarded as valid for three years. There is no recommendation that other staff should be rechecked at regular intervals.

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of enhanced criminal record checks which will be undertaken in the year to 31 March 1999 under the arrangements to be established under the Police Bill [Lords]. [16587]

Mr. Maclean: It was originally estimated that, when the Criminal Records Agency became fully operational, it would issue around 1.3 million enhanced criminal record certificates each year. The Police Bill [Lords], as amended, provides for free checks for volunteers which we expect would increase demand for these certificates.

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if payments are made by local education authorities and social services authorities to police forces for criminal record checks. [16590]

Mr. Maclean: No.

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the unit costs to (i) police authorities and (ii) local authorities of each criminal record check made in respect of child protection, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16591]

Mr. Maclean: There are wide variations in the cost of criminal record checks across police forces. It is estimated that, on average, it costs a police force £6.35 to carry out a criminal record check. It is not possible to break the figures down in order to identify the costs of child protection checks, although these will be higher than the average. Information is not available on the costs incurred by local authorities.

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years who are not eligible for checks under arrangements made pursuant to Home Office circulars 47/93 and 92/117; what categories of individual are not covered by the arrangements under these two circulars; and what is the estimated number of individuals in these categories. [16593]

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 549

Mr. Maclean: There are no formal arrangements for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years of age who are not eligible for checks under the arrangements set out in Home Office circulars 47/93 and 42/94. Home Office circular 42/94 replaced 117/92 which has been cancelled. However, in 1993, the Home Office published a code of practice entitled "Safe from Harm" which offers voluntary organisations that work with children, but are not covered by the terms of the Home Office circulars, guidance on good policy and practice in areas such as recruitment, supervision and management of staff. Copies of "Safe from Harm" are in the Library.

The main categories of individual not covered by the arrangements set out in the two circulars are employees and volunteers working for voluntary or private child-care organisations.

It is not known exactly how many individuals are excluded from checking under the current arrangements but it is estimated that about 700,000 extra people would be eligible to apply for the enhanced criminal record certificates proposed in the Police Bill [Lords].

Road Running

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what liaison he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Secretary of State for National Heritage since 5 December 1996 in respect of ensuring the continued success of road running; and if he will make a statement. [16234]

Mr. Maclean: None. The police's approach towards road running races and other events held on the public highway is an operational matter and one for chief officers of police and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 550

I understand that, because of concerns about the safety of all road users, including race participants, and the inconvenience that can be caused to other road users, the association encourages organisations to undertake such events away from the highway.

Police (Lancashire)

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police there were in Lancashire in (a) 1996 and (b) 1979; [16150]

Mr. Maclean: The information available is set out in the table:

Lancashire Constabulary(2)1979-80(3)1996-97
Police Numbers3,0893,203
Expenditure (£ million)(4)37.289163.563

(2) Police numbers as at 31 December 1979.

(3) Police numbers as at 30 September 1996.

(4) Expenditure includes police grant, revenue support grant and locally raised taxes.


Police (London)

Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers in London per 10,000 population, by borough using 1991 census data, as at 1 January in each of the last five years.[15968]

Mr. Maclean: The information requested is given in the two following tables. Officers based at headquarters and at Heathrow have not been included.

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 549

Table 1: Outer London

Outer London199219931994
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Barking and Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham279143,68119.42286143,68119.91287143,68119.97
Barnet
Barnet(5)753293,56425.65759.3293,56425.86780.6293,56426.59
Golders Green
West Hendon
Bexley
Bexleyheath285215,61513.22277.5215,61512.287273215,61512.66
Brent
Wembley660243,02527.16623.91243,02525.67620.1243,02525.52
Kilburn
Bromley
Bromley523290,60918.00473.44290,60916.29480.58290,60916.54
Orpington
Croydon
Croydon626313,51019.97597.6313,51019.06579.69313,51018.49
South Norwood
Ealing
Ealing604275,25721.94620.28275,25722.53653.01275,25723.72
Southall
Enfield
Edmonton527257,41720.47532257,41720.67549.46257,41721.35
Enfield(5)
Greenwich
Greenwich569207,65027.40545207,65026.25517.8207,65024.94
Plumstead

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 551

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 551

Outer London1995 1996 1997
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Barking and Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham304.6143,68121.20303.2143,68121.10299.85143,68120.87
Barnet
Barnet(5)790.85293,56426.94752.55293,56425.63736.06293,56425.07
Golders Green
West Hendon
Bexley
Bexleyheath285215,61513.22295.5215,61513.70287.3215,61513.32
Brent
Wembley651.98243,02526.83617.74243,02525.42639.86243,02526.33
Kilburn
Bromley
Bromley500.43290,60917.22490.44290,60916.88471.44290,60916.22
Orpington
Croydon
Croydon623.8313,51019.90633.88313,51020.22625.34313,51019.95
South Norwood
Ealing
Ealing643.86275,25723.39660.64275,25724.00645.47275,25723.45
Southall
Enfield
Edmonton543.6257,41721.12545.48257,41721.19553.88257,41721.52
Enfield(5)
Greenwich
Greenwich573.2207,65027.60623.31207,65030.02622.85207,65030.00
Plumstead

Outer London1992 1993 1994
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Harrow
Harrow288200,10014.39272.2200,10013.60277.2200,10013.85
Havering
Romford369229,49216.08366229,49215.95375.01229,49216.34
Hillingdon
Hillingdon467231,60220.16453.9231,60219.60443.98231,60219.17
Hounslow
Chiswick474204,39723.19451.4204,39722.08482.9204,39723.63
Hounslow
Kingston
Kingston(5)403132,99630.30375.4132,99628.23395.7132,99629.75
Merton
Wimbledon313168,47018.58291.4168,47017.30312168,47018.52
Redbridge
Ilford555226,21824.53520226,21822.99536.4226,21823.71
Barkingside(5)
Richmond
Richmond333160,73220.72298160,73218.54321.35160,73219.99
Sutton
Sutton(5)402168,88023.80373.9168,88022.14390168,88023.09
Spelthorne
Spelthorne20389,98722.56189.489,98721.05208.289,98723.14
Waltham Forest
Chingford472212,03322.26461.8212,03321.78473.8212,03322.35
Leyton

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 553

Outer London1995 1996 1997
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Harrow
Harrow272.2200,10013.60293.8200,10014.68283.4200,10014.6
Havering
Romford377.17229,49216.43363.49229,49215.84351.05229,49215.30
Hillingdon
Hillingdon439.5231,60218.98437231,60218.87418.7231,60218.08
Hounslow
Chiswick466.3204,39722.81484.2204,39723.69470204,39722.99
Hounslow
Kingston
Kingston(5)373.14132,99628.06393.34132,99629.58362.24132,99627.24
Merton
Wimbledon354.45168,47021.04334.85168,47019.88325.25168,47019.31
Redbridge
Ilford553.89226,21824.48545.1226,21824.10552226,21824.40
Barkingside(5)
Richmond
Richmond297.45160,73218.51319.85160,73219.90295.85160,73218.41
Sutton
Sutton(5)428.9168,88025.40431.38168,88025.54405.23168,88024.00
Spelthorne
Spelthorne199.289,98722.14199.889,98722.20198.289,98722.03
Waltham Forest
Chingford487.2212,03322.98463.3212,03321.85477.22212,03322.51
Leyton

Note:

(5) Officer strength shown for these divisions includes provision for policing parts of the borough situated in the counties of Hertfordshire, Surrey or Essex.


Table 2: Inner London

Inner London1992 1993 1994
StrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Camden
Hampstead749170,44443.94721.7170,44442.34691.7170,44440.58
Kentish Town
Holborn
Hackney
Shoreditch651181,24835.92611181,24833.71633181,24834.92
Stoke Newington
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hammersmith536148,50236.09541148,50236.43548,33148,50236.92
Fulham
Haringey
Hornsey577202,20428.54561.6202,20427.77561.6202,20427.77
Tottenham
Islington
Holloway 599164,68636.37547164,68633.21568.1164,68634.50
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Brompton670138,39448.41632138,39445.67655.1138,39447.34
Notting Hill
Lambeth
Brixton988244,83440.35980.5244,83440.05947.4244,83438.70
Streatham
Vauxhall
Lewisham
Catford598230,98325.89593.6230,98325.70588.4230.98325.47
Lewisham
Newham
Forest Gate595212,17028.04570212,17026.87577.48212,17027.22
Plaistow

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 555

Inner London1995 1996 1997
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Camden
Hampstead703.9170,44441.30698.76170,44441.00681.95170,44440.41
Kentish Town
Holborn
Hackney
Shoreditch693.18181,24838.24659.54181,24836.39676.04181,24837.30
Stoke Newington
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hammersmith545.2148,50236.71533.13148,50235.90561.25148,50237.79
Fulham
Haringey
Hornsey579.95202,20428.68544.6202,20426.93535202,20426.46
Tottenham
Islington
Holloway567.9164,68634.48562164,68634.13569.6164,68634.59
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Brompton616.83138,39444.57604.4138,39443.67642.4138,39446.42
Notting Hill
Lambeth
Brixton1,003.05244,83440.97969.81244,83439.61967.3244,83439.51
Streatham
Vauxhall
Lewisham
Catford598.3230,98325.90642.6230,98327.82626.3230,98327.11
Lewisham
Newham
Forest Gate623.08212,17029.37626.68212,17029.54625.88212,17029.50
Plaistow

Inner London1992 1993 1994
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus populationNumber of officers per 10,000 population
Southwark
Southwark886218,54140.54816.65218,54137.37849.78218,54138.88
Peckham
Walworth
Tower Hamlets
Whitechapel722161,06444.83669161,06441.54690161,06442.84
Limehouse
Wandsworth
Battersea719252,42528.48671.6252,42526.61693.3252,42527.47
Wandsworth
Westminster
Belgravia1881174,814107.601905.85174,814109.021901.2174,814108.76
West End Central
Charing Cross
Marylebone
Paddington
Total19,276.006,765,54428.4918,589.936,765,54427.4818,863.176,765,54427.88

Inner London1995 1996 1997
Borough and divisionStrengthCensus PopulationNumber of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus Population Number of officers per 10,000 populationStrengthCensus Population Number of officers per 10,000 population
Southwark
Southwark871.47218,54139.88902.86218,54141.31878.16218,54140.18
Peckham
Walworth
Tower Hamlets
Whitechapel633.7161,06439.34613.7161,06438.10596.4161,06437.03
Limehouse
Wandsworth
Battersea647.78252,42525.66638.18252,42525.28662.28252,42526.24
Wandsworth
Westminster
Belgravia1799.55174,814102.941714.55174,81498.081700.66174,81497.28
West End Central
Charring Cross
Marylebone
Paddington
Total19,050.616,765,54428.1618,899.666,765,54427.9418744.316,765,54427.71

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 557

Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers as at 1 January in each of the last five years in each police division in London, sub-totalled (a) on an area and (b) on a borough basis and in total. [15967]

Mr. Maclean: The information requested is given in two tables, which reflect the restructuring of the Metropolitan Police in 1994 when the number of areas was reduced from eight to five. Officers based at headquarters and at Heathrow have not been included. Copies of these tables have been placed in the Library.

Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the last three years and for 1979 the total number of police officers in each Metropolitan police area; and if he will make a statement. [15227]

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 558

Mr. Maclean: The information is set out in the table:

Numbers of Police Officers
ForcesMay 1979September 1994September 1995September 1996
Greater Manchester6,4406,9497,0266,961
Merseyside4,4414,6904,5364,271
Northumbria3,2853,5923,6113,693
South Yorkshire2,5603,0293,0413,128
West Midlands6,0316,9817,0787,203
West Yorkshire4,7395,0395,1225,154

Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the total cost of public funds of the Metropolitan police in 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [16950]

Mr. Howard: As police authority for the Metropolitan police district. I have approved estimates which provide for net revenue expenditure of £1,741.437 million in 1997-98.

19 Feb 1997 : Column: 559

The receiver for the Metropolitan police district is issuing, with my approval, a precept of £57.00 per property in band D of the council tax valuation band for Metropolitan police purposes.

I have discussed the estimates for the Metropolitan police expenditure in 1997-98 with representatives of the London local authority associations.


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