House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Mar 1999 (pt 16)

Seals

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of seal damage to salmon in the last five years. [73908]

Mr. Macdonald: Seals are opportunistic predators which take whatever prey is locally abundant, and only by studying rivers on a site-by-site basis can the effects of seals on salmon be measured.

A study based on direct observation of seals and their impact on salmon in the estuaries of the Rivers Dee and Don was conducted between 1993 and 1996. This found that common seals were the most prevalent species, that peak numbers were seen in the winter months, but that the number of individual seals was very low.

A new project studying the interaction between the two species has begun on the River Conon, funded by The Scottish Office, through the Marine Laboratory, and Aberdeen University.

There are no estimates of predation on salmonids in the open sea.

From 1 July 1999 the protection and management of seals in Scottish waters will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to control the seal population. [73909]

Mr. Macdonald: A delicate balance must be struck between maintaining a sustainable population of seals and protecting legitimate fishing interests. Current legislation provides local solutions to local problems.

Under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, fishermen are permitted to shoot seals during the open seasons, providing an appropriately licensed firearm is used. Limited shooting under licence is permitted during the close seasons for the prevention of damage to fisheries.

1 Mar 1999 : Column: 555

Throughout the year, fishermen may shoot seals to prevent them from causing damage to a fishing net or fishing tackle, or to any fish captured by that net or tackle.

In April 1998 we announced the lifting of the year round protection given to common seals in Shetland under the Conservation of Seals (Common Seals)(Shetland Islands Area) Order 1991. We have no plans at present to change the existing management regime. This matter is kept under constant review.

From 1 July 1999 the protection and management of seals in Scottish waters will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Mr. Singh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the total number of cases referred to, and awaiting review by, the Criminal Cases Review Commission; [72772]

1 Mar 1999 : Column: 556

Kate Hoey: I understand that, at the end of January, 1,055 cases were awaiting review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (of which 1,010 were awaiting detailed review) and 482 cases were under active review.

Police (Millennium Celebrations)

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 1999, Official Report, columns 92-93, on policing Millennium celebrations, what proportion of the £176 million additional special payment is in respect of the Millennium. [72665]

Mr. Boateng: The £176 million special payment allocated to the Metropolitan Police is in recognition of the force's distinct national and capital city functions which, in the next financial year, include policing related to Millennium celebrations. It is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to decide on the operational deployment of his resources.

Pilot Projects

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the pilot projects instigated by his Department since 1 May 1997, indicating the area in which each pilot took, or is taking, place. [72638]

Mr. Straw: Details of key pilot projects instigated by the Home Office since 1 May 1997 are as follows:

1 Mar 1999 : Column: 555

Pilot project Area Date pilot started

Youth Justice--Measures contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998:

(1) The final warning scheme (2) The repatriation order (3) Action plan order London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster; Southampton; Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight; Wolverhampton; Sheffield (1) to (5) 30 September 1998

(4) Child safety order and parenting order Blackburn (1) (2) (5)

(5) Youth offending teams London Borough of Lewisham; Luton and Bedfordshire; Devon; St. Helens; Sunderland (4) (5)

Reducing delays in the criminal justice system--pilots of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 provisions to speed up the criminal justice system: Blackburn and Burnley; Croydon, Bromley and Sutton; Northamptonshire; North Staffordshire; North Wales; and Tyneside October 1998. January 1999 for those relating to the sending of cases to the Crown Court

Getting cases into court the day after charge or as soon as possible thereafter;

Crown Prosecution Service staff working alongside the police in the police stations to get cases ready for court;

Crown Prosecution Service using trained lay staff to prosecute straightforward guilty plea cases in the magistrates' courts in Early First Hearings.

Introduction of Early Administrative Hearings in the magistrates' courts to be presided over by a single Justice or Justices' Clerk to manage the pre-trial preparation of all magistrates' court cases;

Free legal advice from the duty solicitor at court for defendants attending Early First Hearings or Early Administrative Hearings.

Introduction of tougher bail conditions to increase the use of securities and enable the courts to require a defendant to attend an interview with his legal representative.

Sending indictable-only cases to the Crown Court after only one preliminary hearing in the magistrates' court.

Probation

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders Liverpool; Gloucestershire; Croydon 1 October 1998

Pathfinder projects--to identify examples of best practice and share them amongst probation services: September 1998

1. Programme Solving, Training and Offending Behaviour Devon, Teesside and Greater Manchester

2. Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

3. Women Offenders Programme Hereford and Worcestershire

Electronic Tagging

1. Community Service Orders and Curfew Orders on Persistent Petty Offenders, Curfew Orders on Juveniles (aged 10 to 15), Driving Disqualifications on Offenders and Fine Defaulters Norfolk Greater Manchester January 1998 April 1998

2. Electronic Monitoring as a Condition of Bail Norfolk April 1998

Greater Manchester July 1998

Integrating business and information systems (IBIS)--to enable the exchange of electronic case files and case-tracking information between the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the magistrates' courts Stockport November 1998

Police dogs--Trials of scent discrimination methods of training police dogs using bloodhounds and German Shepherds Essex police force April 1998

Fire safety--community fire safety pilot publicity campaign that concentrated on chip pan safety to test out an integrated approach to communications. TV advertising ran throughout Granada TV area Lancashire 3 April 1998 to 5 May 1998

Review of Fire Cover--Pathfinder projects with selected fire brigades to trial a new scheme for providing fire cover based on the risk London, Strathclyde (Glasgow); Lothian and the Borders; South Wales (Cardiff); Oxfordshire; Devon January 1999

Passport issuing--project to introduce a more secure digitally printed British Passport Passports issued by the Liverpool and Newport Passport Offices (North West, North and South of England and Wales) 5 October 1998

Prison Service

Welfare to Work 11 prisons across the estate April 1998

Video Links South-West (Bristol and Eastwood Park prisons linked to Bristol and Swindon magistrates court) November 1998

North-West (Manchester prison and Hindley YOI linked to Manchester magistrates court)

New Security passes Bullwood Hall prison, Essex; The Mount prison, Herts; Hull prison April to June 1998

Prisoner Escort Form Brixton and Holloway prisons; London prisoner escort service and 9 London police stations May to June 1998

Extended Sex Offender Treatment Programme Albany, Wakefield, Channings Wood, Swinfen Hall and Wandsworth prisons 1997 to 1998

Improved regimes for women prisoners Holloway prison, London December 1998

Styal prison Cheshire November 1998

Dyslexia screening 5 dispersal prisons: Frankland, Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Wakefield, Whitemoor January 1999

Family literacy Stoke Heath YOI; Norwich, Bullwood Hall September 1998

Cookham Wood October 1998

Dover YOI February 1999

Volunteer tutoring schemes Frankland, Full Sutton and Wakefield prisons January 1999

Peer partnership (basic skills) 7 prisons across the estate August to September 1998

Birmingham January 1999

Disinfecting tablets 11 prisons across the estate July to November 1998

Pilot project	Area	Date pilot started
Youth Justice--Measures contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998:
(1) The final warning scheme (2) The repatriation order (3) Action plan order	London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster; Southampton; Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight; Wolverhampton; Sheffield (1) to (5)	30 September 1998
(4) Child safety order and parenting order	Blackburn (1) (2) (5)
(5) Youth offending teams	London Borough of Lewisham; Luton and Bedfordshire; Devon; St. Helens; Sunderland (4) (5)

Reducing delays in the criminal justice system--pilots of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 provisions to speed up the criminal justice system:	Blackburn and Burnley; Croydon, Bromley and Sutton; Northamptonshire; North Staffordshire; North Wales; and Tyneside	October 1998. January 1999 for those relating to the sending of cases to the Crown Court
Getting cases into court the day after charge or as soon as possible thereafter;
Crown Prosecution Service staff working alongside the police in the police stations to get cases ready for court;
Crown Prosecution Service using trained lay staff to prosecute straightforward guilty plea cases in the magistrates' courts in Early First Hearings.
Introduction of Early Administrative Hearings in the magistrates' courts to be presided over by a single Justice or Justices' Clerk to manage the pre-trial preparation of all magistrates' court cases;
Free legal advice from the duty solicitor at court for defendants attending Early First Hearings or Early Administrative Hearings.
Introduction of tougher bail conditions to increase the use of securities and enable the courts to require a defendant to attend an interview with his legal representative.
Sending indictable-only cases to the Crown Court after only one preliminary hearing in the magistrates' court.
Probation
Drug Treatment and Testing Orders	Liverpool; Gloucestershire; Croydon	1 October 1998

Pathfinder projects--to identify examples of best practice and share them amongst probation services:		September 1998
1. Programme Solving, Training and Offending Behaviour	Devon, Teesside and Greater Manchester
2. Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme	Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire
3. Women Offenders Programme	Hereford and Worcestershire

Electronic Tagging
1. Community Service Orders and Curfew Orders on Persistent Petty Offenders, Curfew Orders on Juveniles (aged 10 to 15), Driving Disqualifications on Offenders and Fine Defaulters	Norfolk Greater Manchester	January 1998 April 1998
2. Electronic Monitoring as a Condition of Bail	Norfolk	April 1998
	Greater Manchester	July 1998
Integrating business and information systems (IBIS)--to enable the exchange of electronic case files and case-tracking information between the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the magistrates' courts	Stockport	November 1998
Police dogs--Trials of scent discrimination methods of training police dogs using bloodhounds and German Shepherds	Essex police force	April 1998

Fire safety--community fire safety pilot publicity campaign that concentrated on chip pan safety to test out an integrated approach to communications. TV advertising ran throughout Granada TV area	Lancashire	3 April 1998 to 5 May 1998

Review of Fire Cover--Pathfinder projects with selected fire brigades to trial a new scheme for providing fire cover based on the risk	London, Strathclyde (Glasgow); Lothian and the Borders; South Wales (Cardiff); Oxfordshire; Devon	January 1999

Passport issuing--project to introduce a more secure digitally printed British Passport	Passports issued by the Liverpool and Newport Passport Offices (North West, North and South of England and Wales)	5 October 1998
Prison Service
Welfare to Work	11 prisons across the estate	April 1998

Video Links	South-West (Bristol and Eastwood Park prisons linked to Bristol and Swindon magistrates court)	November 1998
	North-West (Manchester prison and Hindley YOI linked to Manchester magistrates court)

New Security passes	Bullwood Hall prison, Essex; The Mount prison, Herts; Hull prison	April to June 1998

Prisoner Escort Form	Brixton and Holloway prisons; London prisoner escort service and 9 London police stations	May to June 1998

Extended Sex Offender Treatment Programme	Albany, Wakefield, Channings Wood, Swinfen Hall and Wandsworth prisons	1997 to 1998

Improved regimes for women prisoners	Holloway prison, London	December 1998
	Styal prison Cheshire	November 1998

Dyslexia screening	5 dispersal prisons: Frankland, Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Wakefield, Whitemoor	January 1999

Family literacy	Stoke Heath YOI; Norwich, Bullwood Hall	September 1998
	Cookham Wood	October 1998
	Dover YOI	February 1999

Volunteer tutoring schemes	Frankland, Full Sutton and Wakefield prisons	January 1999

Peer partnership (basic skills)	7 prisons across the estate	August to September 1998
	Birmingham	January 1999

Disinfecting tablets	11 prisons across the estate	July to November 1998

1 Mar 1999 : Column: 557

A number of pilot projects will also form part of the Crime Reduction Programme, beginning in April 1999. There will be about 70 projects initially, launched as part of the burglary and targeted policing initiatives within the Programme. There will be others to follow. The first projects are expected to be confirmed shortly, following validation of the bids that have been submitted to the Home Office.

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