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Deportations
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 June, Official Report, column 510, how many persons removed from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years under the deportation process made a voluntary departure.[4835]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested is given in the list:
Voluntary departures from the United Kingdom after deportation action had been initiated, 1992-96.
1992: 94
1993: 208
1994: 271
1995: 365
1996 1 : 355.
1 Provisional.
- (2) how many deportation orders have been signed by Ministers in each month of 1997 to date. [4730]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested for Janaury to May 1997 is given in the table:
Persons issued, under the deportation process, with a notice of intention to deport (form APP 104) and deportation orders signed by Ministers 1 January to May 1997
| APP 104 issued | Deportation orders signed | |
|---|---|---|
| January | 480 | 105 |
| February | 490 | 92 |
| March | 539 | 91 |
| April | 492 | 122 |
| May | 270 | 49 |
(10) Provisional data.
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 442
Mr. O'Brien: The information requested is given in the list:
Persons issued, under the deportation process, with a notice of intention to deport (form APP 104), 1992-1996.
1992: 3,594
1993: 4,283
1994: 5,421
1995: 5,274
1996 1 : 6,518.
1 Provisional data.
Polygraphs
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use his Department makes of polygraphs, and if he will make a statement. [4585]
Mr. Straw:
None, so far as I and my official have been able to ascertain. The Home Office does not encourage the use of polygraph testing for decision making on employment screening or security vetting. The Home Office's views on the use of polygraphs are broadly in accordance with those of the Scientific Affairs Board of the British Psychological Society. We have concern with regard to polygraphs' use of non-standardised administration procedures; internal inconsistency; unreliable rescoring of charts; insufficient evidence of retest reliability provided for examinees; disproportionate numbers of false positive results produced; absence of data on the adverse impact on minority groups; seemingly non-voluntary participation of examinees; and its sensitivity to aspects of temperament.
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 443
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the advantages of admitting in evidence the results of polygraph tests; and if he will make a statement. [4583]
Mr. Michael:
I have made no assessment of the admissibility of polygraph tests as evidence in criminal trials. The courts have held that, as a matter of principle, evidence produced by mechanical, chemical or hypnotic truth test on a witness is inadmissible to show the veracity or otherwise of that witness.
Under the general rules of evidence, the previous statements of a witness are inadmissible as hearsay and also, where such statements are consistent with his oral testimony, they are inadmissible as evidence of consistency under the rule against previous self-serving statements.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the cost to central funds of the Hard Arrest programme; and what further research has been carried out on the operation, safety or use of electro-shock equipment; [3817]
Mr. Michael:
I understand that these questions relate to the possible development of electric shock shields for use against people. Neither my Department nor the police service have any knowledge of the Hard Arrests trial programme, or of any other programme of development, testing or training in the use of such equipment in this country.
Chief officers of police, with their police authorities, are responsible for deciding what equipment to obtain for their officers, either for testing or for introduction. A number of forces have electric-shock shields and cattle prods for use against ferocious dogs, but no force has such equipment for use against people.
In 1990, the Forensic Science Service published a theoretical assessment of the effects of electric shock weapons.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in his Department in the year up to 1 May. [5362]
Mr. Straw:
I have two special advisers, Mr. Ed Owen and Mr. Norman Warner. They are employed under terms and conditions based on the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Mr. Owen and Mr. Warner are advising me on all subjects relevant to the Department, save those of a confidential nature, in accordance with Schedule 1 (Part 1) of the Model Contract.
In the year to 1 May 1997, there were two special advisers.
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 444
Mr. Rooney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the definition of violence his Department uses in interpreting section 4(1) (4) (2) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [4846]
Mr. Michael
[holding answer 20 June 1997]: Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 makes it a criminal offence for a person to pursue a course of conduct which they know, or ought to know, causes another to fear that violence will be used against him or her. The offence is intended to catch the most serious cases of stalking, where the stalker's conduct is so threatening that the victim fears for his or her safety.
The Act does not define "violence", nor is there any guidance on the meaning of the term in the circular issued by the Home Office to the courts and police for the implementation of the Act on 16 June. The courts already have long experience of interpreting the term and should continue to exercise that judgment in cases arising under section 4 of the 1997 Act. Violence does not need to be established to prove an offence under section 4: fear of violence will suffice.
Under the 1997 Act there will be scope for early intervention, in the form of the offence of causing harassment and a restraining order on conviction to prevent further harm being caused, which is designed to prevent the harassment escalating any further.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on how his plans for (a) employment, (b) training and (c) education will incorporate the principles of sustainable development. [3581]
Dr. Howells:
Although few of DfEE's policies have any significant impact on the environment, DfEE is committed to the principles of sustainable development.
We are currently setting up the Environmental Task Force (ETF), as part of the New Deal which will provide valuable work experience and training for unemployed young people. The ETF will provide a range of placements to help the local community, such as tree planting, energy efficiency measures and landscaping.
We have an environmental National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) framework and a Modern Apprenticeship NVQ Level 3 in Environmental Conservation.
We issue guidance to schools to enable them to monitor their own energy use as well as provide opportunities for pupils to learn about the environment. We are also considering the establishment of a national panel to co-ordinate environmental education and will announce our intentions in due course.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much each training and enterprise council has spent on special needs training in each of the last three years. [4168]
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 445
Dr. Howells:
The information requested is not available. Separate accounts for TEC expenditure on those with special needs are not maintained. The Department's contract with TECs does however specify a number of targets which ensures that special needs are given prominence.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the comparative performance of individual TECs; and if he will make a statement. [4620]
Dr. Howells:
The performance of individual TECs varies across the range of activities in which they are involved. The Department intends to work with the TEC National Council and the wider TEC network to improve the performance of all TECs through, for example, benchmarking and the sharing of best practice more effectively.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what external audits have been carried out since 1 January 1995 into the use of public money by Sussex Enterprise. [5195]
Dr. Howells:
Sussex Enterprise, like other Training and Enterprise Councils, is subject to audit by the FAM (Financial Management) team of the relevant Government Office, at least annually.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what balances were held by Sussex Enterprise and its predecessor Sussex TEC at the end of each of the last five financial years; what this figure represents as a percentage of turnover for each year; and if he will make a statement. [5194]
Dr. Howells:
These figures are available from the published annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what safeguards exist to ensure the proper and effective use of public money by Sussex Enterprise. [5193]
Dr. Howells:
Sussex Enterprise, like all other TECs, is under a general/contractual obligation from the Secretary of State to have sound financial controls and to provide value for money on all expenditure on government programmes.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to require representation at member level for local authorities on the boards of TECs; and if he will make a statement. [5192]
Dr. Howells:
The contract the Department has with TECs requires that at least two-thirds of the Directors hold the office of chairman, or chief executive, or top level operational manager at local level of a company, or senior partner of a professional partnership in the private sector. The remaining Directors must be senior figures within the local community, which includes members of local authorities. I will be reviewing the arrangements with the TEC National Council over the coming months to decide whether any changes are appropriate.
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 446
(2) what was the duration of the Hard Arrests trial programme; and what equipment, policy issues and training were involved. [3816]
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