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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 25 November 1997
HOME DEPARTMENT
Manslaughter (Custodial Sentences)
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average custodial sentence applied for manslaughter in England in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [17087]
Mr. Michael: Information for 1990 to 1996 is given in the following table:
| Offence/year | People sentenced to immediate custody | Average sentence length(1) (months) | Number of life sentences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manslaughter |
| (Common Law and Offences Against the Person Act 1861, sections 5, 9 and 10)
| 1990 | 128 | 56.6 | 9
| 1991 | 145 | 53.9 | 10
| 1992 | 200 | 58.9 | 10
| 1993 | 167 | 63.3 | 8
| 1994 | 160 | 60.0 | 5
| 1995 | 166 | 58.5 | 6
| 1996 | 196 | 61.3 | 13
|
| Manslaughter due to diminished responsibility
| (Homicide Act 1957, section 2)
| 1990 | 8 | 51.0 | 2
| 1991 | 12 | 64.0 | 6
| 1992 | 6 | 72.0 | 3
| 1993 | 11 | 57.3 | 2
| 1994 | 9 | 51.0 | 3
| 1995 | 13 | 55.5 | 5
| 1996 | 7 | 61.0 | 1
| | ||||||||||||||
(1) Excludes life sentences.
Apart from the requirement under the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 for the courts to give automatic life sentences for people convicted of manslaughter for a second time, and within the statutory limits set by Parliament, sentences in individual cases are a matter for the courts.
Prison Service
(Medical and Health Care Research)
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature of the (a) medical and (b) health care research currently being undertaken within the Prison Service. [17623]
Ms Quin:
Current medical or health care research being undertaken within the Prison Service has centred on epidemiological studies of hepatitis B and C, and HIV/AIDS, and the psychiatric morbidity of male sentenced prisoners. In addition, work is also being
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carried out to evaluate drug detoxification and treatment programmes, and the impact of Mandatory Drugs Testing on the pattern of drug abuse within prisons. Other work involves studies into the management and throughcare of mentally disordered offenders.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison establishments in England and Wales currently have a disability officer; and if he will make a statement on proposals to increase this number. [17622]
Ms Quin:
All Prison Service establishments have a nominated equal opportunities officer whose role includes having responsibility for disability. However, in some prisons the Governor has in addition nominated a disability officer.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the establishments and (b) the current strength of each constabulary in England and Wales. [17199]
Mr. Michael:
The Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 removed the power for the Home Secretary to set police establishments. It was left to individual chief officers of police to determine the number of officers in their force. The strength of each force at 30 September 1997 is set out in the table.
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Europol
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 November 1997, Official Report, column 558, what guidance will be issued to the Director of Europol on the requirement to waive the immunity of staff members of Europol where the immunity would impede the course of justice; if such guidance will be published; and if he will make a statement. [17769]
Mr. Michael: The need for, and content of, any such guidance will be for consideration once the Europol Convention has entered into force and Europol has taken up its activities. The Director will be accountable to the Management Board in the performance of his duties and it will be open to the Board to consider any difficulties that may arise in this area.
Article 12 provides that the privileges and immunities granted under the provisions of the Protocol are conferred
"in the interests of Europol and not for the benefit of the individuals themselves"
and also that
"Europol shall co-operate at all times with the appropriate authorities of member states to facilitate the proper administration of justice".
Article 13 of the Protocol also provides that any disputes on a refusal to waive an immunity shall be referred to the Council of Ministers; if they are unable to reach a settlement, they shall decide on the modalities according to which they will be settled.
Prisons (Private Finance Initiative)
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 November 1997, Official Report, column 692, what criteria are used to assess quality and confidence in deliverability in relation to the awarding of contracts to the private sector to (a) manage and (b) design, construct, manage and finance prisons; and if he will make a statement. [17771]
Ms Quin:
The Prison Service must satisfy itself that bidders are capable of building the prison to the required standards, opening it by the required date and operating it safely and securely with the required level of service in terms of prisoner regime or, in the case of management-only contracts, of operating it safely, securely and with the specified prisoner regime. Bids which satisfy these criteria are assessed on the basis of value for money. The methodology for evaluating bids
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for the first two design, construct, manage and finance prisons at Bridgend and Fazakerley, is described at paragraphs 2.7 to 2.11 and Appendix 5 of the recent Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on those contract awards (HC 253 Session 1997-98).
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought in the past 12 months for assault involving a laser pen. [16970]
Mr. Michael:
People carrying laser pens with intent to cause injury may be liable to prosecution under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, as amended by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 section 2(1).
Court proceedings data collected centrally, under this legislation, do not record the type of weapon or article used.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with what frequency he publishes changes in the weekly rate at which people are convicted of criminal offences carrying a possible gaol sentence of six months or more. [17577]
Mr. Michael:
Almost all indictable offences carry a possible custodial sentence of six months or more. It is normal practice to prepare data on the numbers of people convicted of an indictable offence quarterly and to publish figures annually.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal departmental guidance on the dissemination of information; and if he will make a statement. [16290]
Mr. Straw:
A copy of the Home Office Departmental Procedures on the application of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information has been placed in the Library.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage chief constables to ensure that police forces involve trading standards officers in the examination of vehicles. [17157]
Mr. Michael:
The extent to which police forces develop links with trading standards officers for law enforcement purposes is an operational matter for individual chief officers. There are no plans to issue any specific Home office guidance on the subject. However, a good level of co-operation exists across the country as a whole. Trading standards officers assist the police and other agencies at multi-agency vehicle checks, for example by checking wheel and axle weights and looking for goods with counterfeit trade marks. They are also frequently involved, in conjunction with the police, in examining cars and other vehicles of uncertain origin and condition, with the aim of detecting offences under the Trades Descriptions Act 1968.
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