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Travellers
Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to address the problem of travellers occupying open space in London suburbs. [82718]
Mr. Boateng: The Home Office and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) has recently issued good practice guidance on dealing with unauthorised camping by travellers. Operational guidelines on the use of police powers to remove trespassers under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 are issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and are currently under review. I have made clear to ACPO that I expect police powers to be used at an early stage where necessary, particularly where traveller encampments are associated with problems of crime, disorder or disruption to the local community. The use of police powers in individual cases is an operational decision for the senior police officer present at the scene. The 1994 Act also provides powers to local authorities to remove trespassers, and civil action for repossession may be taken by landowners.
In addition, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires local authorities and the police to develop Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, comprising the police, local authority, probation, health and other local agencies, which work in partnership to identify and resolve issues of crime and disorder in their area and to work to reduce it. These partnerships are relevant where criminal activity or disorder arise from unauthorised encampments.
The Home Office and DETR are currently holding a number of regional seminars to encourage the police and local authorities to work effectively together to deal with the problems that can be caused by unauthorised encampments.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were jailed for drug-related crimes in 1997-98. [82693]
4 May 1999 : Column: 313
Mr. George Howarth:
The Home Office statistical bulletin, "Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics, United Kingdom 1997" (Issue 8/99), was published on 29 April 1999. Table 3.10 shows that the number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for drug offences in the United Kingdom in 1997 was 10,422.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many minors are currently housed in non-juvenile correctional institutions and prisons. [82691]
Mr. George Howarth:
Provisional information indicates that, on 31 March 1999, there were a total of 366 persons aged 15-17 years in adult prisons. Young persons (15-21 year olds) in adult prisons are normally accommodated separately from adults.
Persons aged under 15 years are not held in Prison Service establishments, but are remanded to local authority accommodation. This information is published in a Department of Health statistical bulletin entitled "Children Accommodated in Secure Units". This information is presented on a financial year basis with the last report (Bulletin 1999-6) covering the year ending 31 March 1998.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what services are provided to prisoners who serve less than one year in prison. [82694]
Mr. George Howarth:
Short-term prisoners benefit from the range of services available to all prisoners. On drugs issues, these include detoxification, advice and treatment. As part of the Prison Service drug strategy, all prisoners will benefit from improvements in the quality and availability of drug services, including improved links with community agencies to ensure continuity of treatment on release. This aspect is of particular importance to short-term prisoners whose length of stay in prison often means that they cannot benefit from the more long-term intensive drug treatment programmes.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances prisoners may be shackled when receiving medical treatment or under medical supervision. [82692]
Mr. George Howarth:
Arrangements for the security of prisoners receiving medical attention outside prison, including the circumstances in which they may be handcuffed, are contained in sections 37.114-159 of the Prison Service security manual, copies of which are held in the Library.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter of 18 June 1998, FC/98 333/1039/3 PO 10689/98, what progress has been made in joint research on the National DNA database. [81935]
4 May 1999 : Column: 314
Mr. Boateng:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 25 January 1999, Official Report, column 68. The analysis backlog was eliminated by the end of March as planned, and the benefits arising from the joint projects between the Forensic Science Service (FSS) and individual police forces are being evaluated.
On the wider issue of DNA analysis which was also covered by the letter of 18 June 1998, the joint research programme is still in progress.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 19 January 1999, Official Report, column 408, what study he is making of the use of cellphone jammers by the police. [81936]
Mr. Boateng:
The Home Office is continuing to look at these devices to determine their suitability for police use.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire dated 3 March on behalf of his constituents Mr. and Mrs. Smith. [83155]
Mr. Boateng:
The right hon. Member will receive a reply to his letters of 3 March and 27 April within the next few days.
Mr. Shaw:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the liaison between social services departments and the new secure training centres. [81817]
Mr. Boateng:
Medway Secure Training Centre's main contacts are with home area supervising officers. The arrangements appear generally to be working well. Supervising officers are appointed as soon as possible following sentence and are involved with trainees during the custodial and community parts of the secure training order, providing continuity and consistency of approach to deliver the objectives of reducing offending and protecting the public.
Occasionally, supervising officers from distant areas cannot attend initial assessment meetings, which need to be held at short notice just after sentence. As more STCs come into operation--two more are due this year--the better geographical spread should reduce this problem.
Mr. Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what written guidance is given to immigration officers when making unannounced visits to check if a marriage is one of convenience for immigration purposes. [82941]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
If the written guidance given to immigration officers involved in making unannounced visits to check whether a marriage is genuine and subsisting were to be published, it would enable those whose marriages were not genuine and subsisting to take measures that permitted the deception to continue.
4 May 1999 : Column: 315
Mr. Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of evidence are considered relevant by immigration officers when making unannounced visits to investigate if a marriage is genuine for immigration purposes. [82940]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
When making an unannounced visit, immigration officers will consider any evidence that will assist in deciding whether a marriage is genuine and fulfils the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
Mr. Levitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the timetable and the process of consultation for his review of the law which prohibits non-jurors from being present during a jury's deliberations with particular reference to human aids to communication. [82725]
Mr. Boateng:
The review of the law which prohibits non-jurors from being present during a jury's deliberations raises issues both of principle and practicality. In order to provide statistical evidence to support the review, research has been commissioned and will begin in June into the composition of juries and the reasons for jury excusals, including deafness. This research is due to be completed in the autumn and in the meantime work is being carried out to prepare a paper which could be issued for public consultation next year.
Mr. Beith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners serving four years or more in England and Wales were granted parole on (a) their first application and (b) their second application in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [82447]
4 May 1999 : Column: 316
Mr. George Howarth:
The available data given in the table are for the proportions of determinate sentenced prisoners recommended for parole at first reviews and at all subsequent reviews. Data on the grant of parole are not readily available in this form, but the proportion of prisoners not granted parole following a recommendation for parole is insignificant.
| England and Wales | First Review | Subsequent Reviews (per cent.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 15.3 | 47.6 |
| 1990 | 11.9 | 44.3 |
| 1991 | 12.3 | 47.1 |
| 1992 | 15.5 | 49.7 |
| 1993 | 20.1 | 48.2 |
| 1994 | 36.0 | 44.7 |
| 1995 | 48.4 | 33.7 |
| 1995/96 | 47.6 | 29.4 |
| 1996/97 | 40.5 | 22.0 |
| 1997/98 | 40.7 | 27.4 |
| 1998/99(Provisional) | 40.6 | 31.6 |
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