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Police Conduct
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many metropolitan police officers have been suspended from duty due to allegations as to their conduct and for (a) up to three months, (b) up to six months, (c) up to nine months, (d) up to 12 months, (e) up to 15 months and (f) over 15 months. [69069]
Kate Hoey: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the total number of officers suspended from duty as at 1 February 1999 was 106, and that the other information requested is as follows:
| Period of suspension | Number |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 months | 29 |
| Up to 6 months | 19 |
| Up to 9 months | 14 |
| Up to 12 months | 13 |
| Up to 15 months | 14 |
| Over 15 months | 17 |
The suspension of a particular officer from duty does not imply that action will be taken against that officer. That depends on the outcome of investigations on the case.
Strip Searches
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the conclusions and recommendations of the review evaluated by his Department of strip searching procedures; and if he will place a copy of the final report in the Library. [69608]
Mr. George Howarth: The Prison Service has completed its report on searching in prisons, but it has still to finalise recommendations and submit its proposals on how these will be implemented. A copy of the final report and its recommendations will be placed in the Library when this process has been completed.
Bus Lane Offences
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions of private motorists charged with driving in a bus lane during the hours when
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such lanes are not authorised for use by private vehicles in the Greater London area there have been in each of the last three years. [69400]
Mr. Boateng:
Prosecutions of private motorists are not separately identifiable in the statistics collected on motoring offences, nor can this offence be distinguished from other offences connected with neglect of traffic directions in the statistics collected centrally.
However, most bus lane offences are dealt with by fixed penalty notice, and information obtained from both the Metropolitan and City of London Police shows that 15,218 fixed penalties notices were issued by them for contravening a bus lane in 1996, 15,061 in 1997 and 14,846 in 1998.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of driving whilst under the influence of illegal drugs. [69543]
Mr. Boateng:
We are working closely with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and Association of Chief Police Officers. The Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch is researching into the possible development of roadside drugs screening technology and we support the Association of Chief Police Officers in its work to ensure that officers have the appropriate training to enforce the current legislation as effectively as possible. We will consider possible changes in legislation in the light of the results of the DETR research into the incidence of drugs in road fatalities.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proposals he has to review the constitutional separation of powers between Judiciary and Legislation in Jersey following the European Court of Human Rights decision in McConnell v. the United Kingdom; [69555]
9 Feb 1999 : Column: 139
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The European Court of Human Rights has not yet made a decision in this case. On 4 December 1998, the European Commission of Human Rights decided to refer the case to the Court and it will be examined in due course.
Mr. Soley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he plans to monitor the effectiveness of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. [69480]
Mr. George Howarth:
An evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme is being carried out by the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. The study will cover a variety of issues including the impact on prisoners and on the prison and probation services, assessments of suitability for HDC, the extent to which home detention curfews are successfully completed, recalls to prison, the rate of re-offending and the cost effectiveness of the scheme.
We expect results on the first year performance of the scheme to be available in mid-2000.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 25 January 1999, Official Report, columns 76-78, concerning the home detention welfare provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, when he proposes to write to the hon. Member for Hertsmere. [70280]
Mr. George Howarth:
I wrote to the hon. Member on 8 February. A copy of this letter is in the Library. I will write again to the hon. Member when the remaining information becomes available.
Mr. Clappison:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the prisoners released under the home detention curfew provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have been released subject to supervision by a probation officer; [70115]
(3) how many of the prisoners released since 28 January under the home detention curfew provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have previous convictions for offences (a) of violence, (b) of burglary and (c) to which Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 applies. [70116]
Mr. George Howarth:
The data are not yet available and I will write to the hon. Member when they have been collated.
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Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to express efficiency gains as a percentage of his departmental budget; and if he will make a statement. [69630]
Mr. Straw:
My Department's Public Service Agreement (published in the White Paper "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability") includes a target for the Home Office to achieve efficiency improvements of 3 per cent. a year; as well as targets for improvements against total spending on the police and the fire services of 2 per cent. a year, and on the probation service of 4 per cent. a year.
The White Paper describes the range of projects and targets which are in place to achieve these efficiency gains. For example, a Modernisation Programme has been launched which will develop better management, accommodation, personnel and Information Technology systems. Specific targets have been set, or are being developed, for correspondence, telephone response, sickness absence, procurement, processing of immigration casework and a number of other areas.
I have no plans to express these efficiency gains as a percentage of my budget, as this would be misleading in relation to the work that is underway. Rather, the efficiency improvements will be made up of a range of increases in output relative to input, budgetary savings and transfers of existing resources to meet new priorities.
Maria Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements his Department has laid down in respect of the contingency reserves to be kept by police authorities in England; and what guidance his Department provides in relation to the use to which such moneys should be put. [69473]
Mr. Boateng:
Section 43 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires Police Authorities to have regard to the level of reserves needed for meeting estimated future expenditure when calculating their budget requirement. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has recently re-issued to police authorities advice in determining the appropriate level of reserves and balances. CIPFA recommends that the level of balances for a Police Authority should be around 2 per cent. to 5 per cent., depending on local circumstances.
(2) what proposals he has to review the constitutional position of the Bailiff of the Royal Court of Guernsey and the separation of powers in that island following the European Court of Human Rights decision in McConnell v. United Kingdom. [69556]
(2) how many of the prisoners released since 28 January under the home detention curfew provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 are serving sentences as a result of convictions for offences (a) of violence, (b) of burglary and (c) to which Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 applies; [70117]
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