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Crowd Policing (Charges)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances police authorities are permitted to charge promoters for the costs of crowd policing outside (a) sporting events and (b) entertainment events. [65489]
Mr. Boateng: It is for chief officers of police to decide when to charge for providing a police service. However, under Home Office guidelines, no charge should normally be made for officers deployed on the public highway outside sporting or entertainment venues.
Sexual and Violent Offenders
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases periods of extended supervision for sexual and violent offenders were imposed under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 between 30 September and 31 December 1998. [65567]
Mr. Boateng: These provisions were commenced on 30 September 1998. Information about extended sentences is being collected on the Home Office court proceedings database but will not be available until the autumn of this year.
Child Curfews
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local child curfew schemes were made by local authorities under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 between 30 September and 31 December 1998. [65566]
Mr. Boateng:
The relevant provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which enable local authorities to establish a local child curfew scheme, were brought into force on 30 September 1998. Home Office
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guidance on the operation of these new powers was issued on 29 September 1998. Before imposing a local child curfew, local authorities, in consultation with the chief officer of police and such other persons or bodies that it considers appropriate, must first draw up proposals for a local child curfew scheme, including arrangements for consultation with the residents in the area in which the curfew is to apply, and submit these to the Secretary of State for approval.
No applications for local child curfew schemes have been received at this early stage. Local child curfew schemes are designed to be part of an integrated response to reducing crime and disorder in local areas. In considering their potential use, local authorities will wish to take into account the wider crime and disorder reduction strategies, also required under the Crime and Disorder Act, which are currently being developed.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hospitals are currently the subject of police investigations into cases of alleged euthanasia; and if he will list them. [65570]
Mr. Boateng:
The investigation of alleged offences is an operational matter for chief officers of police and information is not collected centrally on the number or type of investigations being conducted by the police.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning horses working underground in coal and mineral mining; and if he will make a statement. [65490]
Mr. George Howarth:
This Department has received 10 letters and a petition.
The Coal and Other Mines (Horses) Regulations 1956 set out the requirements about the use of horses and ponies in mines. The Mines Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, which is responsbile for enforcing the legislation, have found no evidence of the maltreatment of any horses and ponies used in mines.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of criminal conviction certificates which will be issued per year; and what plans he has to introduce a code of practice governing the use of such certificates. [65965]
Mr. Boateng:
We estimate that there will be between 5 million and 6 million conviction certificates issued each year. Under section 122 of the Police Act 1997, a code of practice for registered bodies (which will be entitled to receive copies of enhanced criminal record certificates and criminal record certificates) will be developed in consultation with interested parties. In the case of criminal conviction certificates, it will be for the individual concerned to decide to whom to provide the information contained in them. We shall, however, consult about guidance to employers.
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Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is Government policy to encourage the use of the criminal conviction certificate in the assessment of candidates for employment. [65966]
Mr. Boateng:
No. It will be up to individual employers to decide whether to ask to see a criminal convictions certificate. Criminal conviction certificates will only give details of unspent convictions. This is information which applicants can be asked to disclose at the moment. The criminal conviction certificate will allow employers to be sure that the information they have been given is full and accurate.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of providing police protection at Chevening House, Kent in the last year for which figures are available; and what is the additional daily cost when the Foreign Secretary is in residence. [66007]
Mr. Straw:
It is established Government practice not to disclose the actual cost of protecting an individual. If the costs of protection were revealed, it would be possible to estimate the scale of protection and that would prejudice the security of the individual. For the same reason, we are unable to disclose details of protection provided.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the time taken to process applications for the renewal of visas for foreign nationals currently living in the United Kingdom; and what steps he has taken to reduce the time. [65728]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I regularly receive representations concerning the time taken to process such applications. The introduction of compulsory application forms for most immigration applications has enabled a large number of straightforward applications to be decided quickly. The current computerisation and restructuring of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's caseworking functions is intended to speed up caseworking times. This restructuring is now underway and, until it is completed and the new structures have settled down, the major upheaval involved will inevitably affect processing times.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will exempt adult volunteers working in youth organisations from paying the fee required by the Criminal Records Bureau for checks on full-time employees working with young people. [65871]
Mr. Boateng:
We considered very carefully whether there was any way in which free checks could be provided for volunteers. Whilst we acknowledge the valuable contribution volunteers make, we have concluded that it will not be practicable to provide any free checks from the Criminal Records Bureau for volunteers or for any other groups. We realise that this is unwelcome news, but providing free checks would prove an unsustainable burden on the public purse, and may increase demand for certificates from the Bureau to an uncontrollable extent. In addition, we do not consider it would be fair to allow
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volunteers to have free certificates when there are other equally deserving groups such as the unemployed or the disabled. The cost of the fees for certificates from the Bureau will be kept to the minimum necessary to recoup costs.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in reducing the replication of animal experiments already undertaken. [64364]
Mr. George Howarth:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 January 1998, Official Report, column 387. Whilst some replication of experiments is needed to ensure the reliability of previous research, the Inspectorate will not recommend that a licence be granted unless there are good reasons for replicating work already undertaken.
In regulatory toxicology, we are currently encouraging regulatory authorities and testers to make full use of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives, including the possibility of data sharing, in order to reduce the need for animal tests.
In the wider context, all establishments will be required to maintain ethical review processes from 1 April. One of the roles of these processes will be to review proposed and ongoing work to ensure it is fully justified.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made for compensation by single payment or pension for special constables injured in the course of their duties. [65751]
Mr. Boateng:
Arrangements to compensate special constables who are injured on duty are contained in the Special Constables Regulations. In brief, a gratuity and a pension is payable in the event of:
death;
permanent disability leading to complete inability to work;
and
permanent disability leading to inability to continue ordinary employment
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