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Single Market
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 June, Official Report, column 314, concerning the outcome of the European Council Meeting in Amsterdam, what further Community legislation is required to complete the single market. [6484]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the Single Market Action Plan agreed at Amsterdam, setting out a programme for improving and completing the single market. A copy of the Plan has been deposited in the Library of the House.
NATO Summit
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the agenda of his visit to Madrid between 8 and 9 July for the NATO summit. [6918]
The Prime Minister: I plan to join the other NATO Heads of Government in Madrid on 8 July. We will discuss the enlargement of NATO and expect to announce that a small number of countries should be invited to begin accession negotiations. I would be content for the number of countries to be set at three. We will also review progress on the development of the European Security and Defence Identity in NATO, following the decision taken by NATO Foreign Ministers at Berlin in 1996; and on the development of a new NATO Command Structure.
On 9 July we will sign with President Kuchma of Ukraine the NATO/Ukraine Charter which will symbolise Ukraine's importance to European security and provide for increased NATO/Ukraine co-operation.
Heads of Government will also discuss greater co-operation with NATO's partner countries in the EURO-Atlantic Partnership Council, including military co-operation through NATO's programme of Partnership for Peace.
Crime Victims
Ms Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the position of victims within the criminal justice system. [5566]
Mr. Straw:
The Government are committed to improving the position of victims and those who give evidence to the police and in court. Our election manifesto said: "Victims of crime are too often neglected by the criminal justice system".
3 Jul 1997 : Column: 236
Therefore, I am pleased to announce today the following measures which will give victims a greater priority within the criminal justice system:
3 Jul 1997 : Column: 237
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent people with convictions for serious sexual offences involving children and teenagers from being accepted as volunteers to work with young people. [5876]
Mr. Michael:
The Sex Offenders Act 1997 requires people convicted of serious sexual offences to register their address and any change of address with the police and we are working on plans to ensure that this information is used effectively, principally for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. In addition, part V of the Police Act 1997 provides a statutory basis for criminal record checks to be carried out on any person applying for a position, paid or as a volunteer, which will involve regular contact with children and young people under the age of 18. We are currently considering how best to implement the provisions of this part of the Act. In addition, a consultation paper was issued in January 1997 setting out options for making it an offence for a convicted sex offender to seek work with or offer services to children. The responses are currently being analysed. It is intended that new vetting arrangements should complement good practice in respect of the recruitment, supervision and management of volunteers set out in the Home Office guidance "Safe from Harm".
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce ID cards. [6161]
Mr. George Howarth:
We have yet to decide whether national identity cards should be introduced in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Touhig:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of call-outs that (a) Cefn Forest fire station, (b) Abercarn fire station and (c) Risca fire station in Islwyn received in each year since 1990. [6250]
Mr. George Howarth:
The information requested is not available centrally.
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for Cookham Wood secure training centre. [6736]
3 Jul 1997 : Column: 238
Mr. Straw:
The Government are committed to ensuring, as a priority, that courts have appropriate powers to deal with the small group of persistent young offenders who wreak havoc in their communities. Our aim is to provide the courts with a more coherent and flexible set of powers to deal with persistent juvenile offenders than those left by the previous Government.
In the meantime, the Government have inherited a contract signed by the previous Government in March 1997 for a secure training centre at Cookham Wood, Kent, for persistent offenders aged 12 to 14. The contract involves significant monthly payments to the contractor from April 1998 whether the facility is used or not.
To avoid the waste of public money which would be involved in withdrawing form the previous Government's commitment, and to enable the courts to deal with those persistent young offenders who fail to respond to community sentences, I intend to continue with the contract to develop Cookham Wood. This will involve introducing the secure training order provided in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and taking forward plans to procure four other centres to provide facilities across England and Wales. However, I am determined to ensure that Cookham Wood provides a high standard of education and training and that it helps young offenders to face up to their crimes and address their offending behaviour.
an extra £1 million to Victim Support to provide further court-based and local scheme support for victims of crime and for witnesses, and to provide a national telephone helpline for victims:
an inter-departmental review to look at further ways of assisting vulnerable witnesses--such as victims of rape or of domestic violence--and providing witnesses with greater protection from intimidation;
an examination of measures to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is more responsive to the needs of victims as part of the independent review of the CPS under the chairmanship of Lord Justice Glidewell.
Victim Support
Victim Support receives the Government's full support for the dedicated work it does helping victims of crime. Its 365 local schemes and branches support more than a million victims a year, and there is now a witness support service at all the 77 Crown court centres in England and Wales. Despite this, the previous Government froze the £11.7 million grant to Victim Support and made it clear that no more money would be forthcoming. However, support for victims of crime is a top priority for this Government. I have therefore decided to make an additional £1 million available to Victim Support to re-inforce both its court-based and local scheme support for victims and witnesses. It will also establish a new national telephone helpline to provide an easy source of help and information to victims of crime.
Vulnerable witnesses and witness protection
Many victims and witnesses find the criminal justice process daunting and stressful, particularly those who are vulnerable because of personal circumstances or the nature of certain serious crimes, such as rape. Some witnesses are not always regarded as capable of giving evidence while others are in fear of intimidation. Our manifesto stated that "greater protection will be provided for victims in rape and serious sexual offence trials and for those subject to intimidation, including witnesses". The Government have therefore established an inter- departmental group to undertake a wide-ranging review. It will have the following terms of reference:
to identify measures at all stages of the criminal justice process to improve the treatment of vulnerable witnesses, including those subject to intimidation;
to encourage such witnesses to give evidence of crime and enable them to give best evidence in court;
The group will have regard to the interests of justice, the importance of preventing and detecting crime, the needs of witnesses and cost effectiveness; and take into account the National Standards for Witness Care in England and Wales.
Crown Prosecution Service
Our manifesto also said:
to consider which witnesses should be classified as vulnerable;
to identify effective procedures for applying appropriate measures in individual cases; and
to make costed recommendations.
"We will ensure that victims are kept fully informed of the progress of their case, and why charges may have been downgraded or dropped".
My right hon. Friend the Attorney-General has already announced the creation of local Chief Crown Prosecutors for each police force area as part of his reforms to the CPS. The Government believe this will ensure that prosecutors are more sensitive to the needs of victims, particularly on decisions to discontinue or downgrade cases. My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has also established an independent review under the chairmanship of Lord Justice Glidewell which will examine how the CPS can be made more aware of the needs of victims and witnesses.
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