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HOME DEPARTMENT
Police Officers (Ethnic Minorities)
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers from an Asian or Afro-Caribbean background hold the rank of (a) chief constable, (b) assistant chief constable and (c) chief superintendent. [74539]
Mr. Boateng: Currently there are (a) no Chief Constables, (b) one Assistant Chief Constable, (c) three Chief Superintendents (one currently on temporary promotion) and six Superintendents from an Asian or Afro-Caribbean background.
The rank of Chief Superintendent was abolished on 1 April 1995. At that time, the number of existing Chief Superintendents maintained their rank and a number of forces continue to use the designation.
Equine Welfare
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received from equine welfare organisations on the tethering of horses; [75122]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the welfare standards of the existing legislation on the tethering of horses; and if he will make a statement. [75120]
Mr. George Howarth: We have not received recent representations from equine welfare organisations about the tethering of horses.
The welfare of horses that are tethered is safeguarded by the general protection afforded by the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988. Additional protection is provided by the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960.
Under the 1911 Act, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal. The Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988 created a specific offence under the 1911 Act of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse by the manner of condition of its tethering. In addition, the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960 makes it an offence to abandon a domestic or captive animal, whether or not permanently, without reasonable excuse and in circumstances likely to cause suffering.
Mr. Alan Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there were in England during 1998 of individuals for their ill treatment of horses. [75121]
Mr. Boateng:
Information held on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database concerning offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 does not distinguish individual offences within the Act or identify the species of animal involved.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firefighters in the London Fire Brigade are of black or ethnic minority origin; what
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proportion of the total they form; and what measures are planned to increase the number of black and ethnic minority firefighters in London. [75135]
Mr. George Howarth:
At 31 March 1998, there were 5,771 firefighters on the operational strength of London Fire Brigade. Of these, 249 (4.3 per cent. of the total) classified themselves as black or from an ethnic minority group.
We have announced that targets will be set for the recruitment of ethnic minority groups into the Home Office and its services. All chief fire officers have been asked to set targets to improve black and ethnic minority representation to reflect the community their brigade serves. The London Fire and Civil Defence Authority has already taken a number of initiatives of its own to increase the numbers of black and ethnic minority firefighters in London.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons he granted a project licence for the study of the effects of nutritional deprivation in the womb of horses at the Equine Fertility Unit near Newmarket, with particular reference to the cost benefit test under section 5(4) of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; into what severity band the procedures were placed and for what reasons; and if he will review the application of the cost benefit test in relation to these procedures. [75174]
Mr. George Howarth:
The project licence authorising this work was granted in 1994. The objectives of the research were to study pregnancy in mares to determine how genetic and growth factors might affect the nutrition of the foetus, given that poor nutrition of the developing foetus can result in abortion or the birth of poorly viable offspring. The potential benefits of the work are, therefore, to the welfare of horses. It is, however, possible that the results will also be beneficial to other species, including man.
The procedures on the horses entailed mainly non-surgical recovery of uterine material from pregnant and non-pregnant animals. This involved sedation but no general anaesthesia and the procedures were classified as being of mild severity. However, in the early work under the authority of this licence, some of the procedures also involved surgery, which was classified as being of moderate severity. The overall severity for the project licence is mild.
The relevant project licence is no longer in force. If further work is to be carried out in this area, a new application will have to be made and the costs and benefits will again be weighed before deciding whether to grant a new licence.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to prevent criminals profiting from the publication of (a) memoirs and (b) magazine and newspaper articles based on their criminal activities. [74879]
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Mr. Boateng:
In the light of the concerns expressed last year after the publication of Gitta Sereny's book 'Cries Unheard' an inter-departmental group is considering the law relating to criminal memoirs, and whether it might sensibly be strengthened. The issues raised are difficult and complex, and include how the need to prevent criminals from benefiting by publishing details of their crimes and causing distress to victims and their families can be balanced against the rights to freedom of expression set out in the European Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act. The working group expects to report in the summer.
Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people aged (i) under 14, (ii) 14 to 17, (iii) 18 to 20, (iv) 21 to 40, (v) 41 to 64 and (vi) 65 years and over, convicted of the offence of rape of a man in each year from 1987 to 1997 were sentenced to immediate custody; [75034]
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(3) how many (a) prosecutions, (b) convictions and (c) cautions for the offence of indecent assault on a male there were of persons who were aged (i) under 14, (ii) 14 to 17, (iii) 18 to 20, (iv) 21 to 40, (v) 41 to 64 and (vi) 65 years and over giving in each age group how many were (1) male and (2) female, in each year between 1987 and 1997; [75032]
(4) how many (1) cautions and (2) convictions there were for the offences of (i) indecent assault on a female under 16 years, (ii) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 years, (iii) indecent assault on a male under 16 years, (iv) gross indecency with a girl under 14 years, (v) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years, (vi) gross indecency with a boy under 14 years, (vii) buggery of a male under 16 years and (viii) incest in (a) 1985 and (b) 1995; and if he will indicate in each case the percentage change; [75029]
(5) in how many cases the victim of a person convicted of indecent assault or other party to an offence of indecent assault for which a conviction was secured was aged (a) under 14, (b) 14 to 17, (c) 18 to 20, (d) 21 to 40, (e) 41 to 64 and (f) 65 years and over, giving in each age group the number who were (1) male or (2) female for each year between 1987 and 1997. [75030]
Mr. Boateng:
Available information is given in the tables. Information held on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on the age of victims of the offence of indecent assault is restricted to identifying those 'under 16' and '16 and over'.
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(2) how many people aged (i) under 14, (ii) 14 to 17, (iii) 18 to 20, (iv) 21 to 40, (v) 41 to 64 and (vi) 65 years and over, convicted of the offence of indecency between males in each of the years 1987 to 1997 were sentenced to immediate custody; [75031]
| Offence/sex | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indecent assault on a male person under 16 years of age | ||||||||||||
| Males | 420 | 455 | 400 | 413 | 338 | 356 | 287 | 316 | 331 | 349 | 353 | |
| Females | 10 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | |
| Indecent assault on a male person aged 16 years or over | ||||||||||||
| Males | 76 | 86 | 101 | 152 | 113 | 98 | 112 | 84 | 123 | 124 | 112 | |
| Females | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 2 | 2 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | |
| Indecent assault on a female person under 16 years of age | ||||||||||||
| Males | 1,542 | 1,640 | 1,643 | 1,525 | 1,458 | 1,320 | 1,193 | 1,350 | 1,440 | 1,590 | 1,621 | |
| Females | 14 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | |
| Indecent assault on a female person aged 16 years or over | ||||||||||||
| Males | 755 | 858 | 1,009 | 1,036 | 944 | 925 | 855 | 847 | 925 | 818 | 852 | |
| Females | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | |
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(3) New offence created under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Prior to this defendants would have been charged with non-consensual buggery.
(4) Includes persons sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
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(5) Includes persons proceeded against in earlier years or for other offences
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(6) Includes persons sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933
(7) Not applicable
Note:
In some cases total sentenced is higher than total convicted--this will include persons convicted at magistrates' courts but sentenced at a later date at the Crown Court
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(8) For 1995 may include buggery of a woman or animal
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