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Foreign Prisoners
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales at the most recent available date. [63038]
Mr. George Howarth: The latest available provisional information is for 30 September 1998. On that date, there were 3,545 sentenced foreign nationals (3,206 males and 339 females) in prisons in England and Wales.
Information on the number of sentenced foreign nationals in prisons in England and Wales is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (Table 6.4 of the 1997 edition, cm 4017), a copy of which is in the Library.
Common Criminal Justice System
(European Union)
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the steps taken within the European Union to promote a common criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement. [62639]
Kate Hoey:
Neither the Commission nor any of the member states has tabled formal legislative proposals for a common criminal justice system in the European Union. The proposals which have been made are contained in a
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research study entitled "Corpus Juris", published in 1997 under the aegis of the European Commission, which recommends common penal rules and procedures to protect the financial interests of the European Community, and also the creation of an office of European Public Prosecutor. A further study is now being carried out for the Commission on the feasibility of these proposals.
Although the Government fully share the objective of fighting fraud against the Community budget, we disagree with many of the recommendations of the "Corpus Juris" study. None of the recommendations have been submitted to the Council of the European Union, but if this were to happen, unanimous agreement would be needed for them to be adopted and come into effect. The Government see no prospect that it could support proposals for a common criminal justice system.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what letters or circulars have been issued by his Department to police authorities, chief constables or local police partnerships recommending what should be included in local crime and disorder strategies. [62876]
Mr. Boateng:
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 does not specify what should be included in the crime and disorder reduction strategies. This is a matter for local decision by the local authority and police, in partnership with a wide range of other bodies and in consultation with the community as a whole, based upon the priorities to emerge from local crime and disorder audits. The Home Office has, therefore, made no recommendation in this respect, although guidance dealing inter alia with the process of strategy development was issued to partnerships and other interested parties in July 1998.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in response to the consultation paper on modernisation of the Gaming Act 1968. [63027]
Mr. George Howarth:
We went out to consultation on 5 August on proposals to relax certain controls imposed by the Gaming Act 1968 on casino membership, advertising and jackpot machines. The consultation period ended on 21 October.
We received 37 responses, mostly in support of the proposals. We are discussing matters of detail with the industry and aim to make our intentions known in the New Year.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will consult the National Association of Local Councils about the implementation of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as they affect town, parish and community councils in England and Wales. [62931]
Mr. Boateng:
Home Office officials corresponded with, and talked to, representatives of the National Association of Local Councils during the early Parliamentary stages of the Crime and Disorder Act.
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I would, of course, welcome the opportunity to further discuss the implications of the Act with representatives from the National Association of Local Councils, if they so wish.
Mr. Dawson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the assisted prison visits scheme. [63768]
Mr. Straw:
The assisted prison visits scheme exists to help prisoners maintain contact with their close relatives and partners. The scheme was established in 1988. To qualify for assistance in meeting the costs of travel to and from the prison, the visitor must be in receipt of a low income benefit as administered by the Benefits Agency.
The scheme does not distinguish between married and non-married partners, but financial assistance is extended to same-sex partners only at the expense of support for a prisoner's family members. In consequence, some prisoners, including young offenders, do not receive visits from parents or close relatives.
The Government are keen to encourage all prisoners to maintain family ties, and believe that same-sex partners should be treated fairly by the Prison Service. Therefore, both partners and relatives will, in future, be able to receive assistance with the cost of visiting, within the qualifying conditions of the scheme.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63290]
Mr. Straw:
The principal responsibilities of the Home Office in respect of the police, probation, fire and prison services, and in respect of the criminal justice system, relate only to England and Wales. Almost all the research conducted by the Home Office concerns, in one way or another, the operation in future of these services and systems in England and Wales. In view of the separate Scottish legal system, research in these areas has been the responsibility of the Scottish Office and the question of a transfer does not arise.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997-98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63291]
Mr. Straw:
Work is in train to identify areas in which it might be appropriate to effect a transfer of funds. I will make a statement in the Official Report when this work has been completed.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for
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his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63292]
Mr. Straw:
The position is being examined in the light of the Scotland Act 1998 and work is in train to identify cases where it may be appropriate to transfer functions. I will make a statement in the Official Report when the work reaches a conclusion.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the number of people in Northern Ireland who will benefit from the introduction of the minimum wage. [62261]
Mr. Ingram:
Current estimates indicate that some 57,000 employees in employment in Northern Ireland will benefit directly from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place a copy of the judgment in the judicial review case of Floyd and Palmer in the Library; and if she will ensure that the provision of reading and writing materials for suspects held under counter or anti-terrorist legislation is dealt with in the review of legislation presently in progress. [62264]
Mr. Ingram:
I have made arrangements for the Lord Chief Justice's Judgment in the Judicial Review case of Damien Floyd and Pauline Palmer to be placed in the Library of the House today. There is no statutory requirement for the provision of reading and writing materials for detainees held under the emergency legislation. However, the consultation paper on new counter-terrorism legislation will open for discussion the general regime for the detention of terrorist suspects, and interested parties will have an opportunity to comment.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid during each of the last 10 years in compensation to persons wrongly convicted; and what was (a) the highest, (b) the lowest and (c) the average sum awarded. [62267]
Mr. Ingram:
During the relevant period, the total amounts of compensation paid to persons whose convictions have been quashed were, by year:
| Year | Amount awarded (£) |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 75,000.00 |
| 1994 | 25,000.00 |
| 1995 | 650,000.00 |
| 1997 | 263,969.50 |
| 1998 | 82,936.21 |
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Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she has taken to make available the published guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice to interested parties. [62268]
Mr. Ingram: The guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice are automatically made available to the legal representatives of all persons the Secretary of State has determined to be eligible for such compensation. They are also available on request to other interested parties.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose convictions have been quashed over each of the last 10 years have (a) applied for and (b) received compensation. [62266]
Mr. Ingram: (a) The numbers of persons who have applied for statutory compensation after their convictions had been quashed during the relevant period were, by year:
| Year | Applicants |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 3 |
| 1997 | 1 |
(b) All of these persons have been paid compensation in full or have been paid interim amounts.
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