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Referendums

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Neill Committee on the conduct of referendums before any further national referendums. [83595]

Mr. Straw: We intend to publish a draft Bill to implement the main findings of the Neill Committee report before the Summer Recess, and we hope to have the new arrangements in place by the time of the next general election. The Government's position on the timing of possible referendums on changes to the voting system for elections to the House of Commons and on Britain's membership of the single currency were set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in the reply he gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 868 and in his statement of 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 179-96 respectively.

Criminal Law Alignment

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department received a copy of (a) the European Commission communication of 14 July 1998 relating to the progressive alignment of criminal laws and procedures within the Union COM (1998) 459 and (b) the Draft Convention of Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. [83242]

Mr. Straw: The European Commission Communication towards an area of Freedom, Security and Justice of 14 July 1998 (COM (1998) 459) was received in the Home Office on 2 September 1998 and deposited for scrutiny on 15 September 1998.

The most recent consolidated text of the draft Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters between the member states of the European Union is in Council Document 13144/98 JUSTPEN 108, which was received on 20 November 1998. That document has since

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been supplemented by proposals for additional articles to be included in the draft Convention. Those proposals, like the consolidated text, have been submitted to the relevant parliamentary Select Committees and have been, or will be, placed in the Library.

Violence against Women

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives Her Majesty's Government are taking on public education to prevent violence against women. [83563]

Kate Hoey: The largest single type of violence against women is domestic violence. We have, therefore, initiated a domestic violence publicity and awareness campaign to make clear the impact of violence against women, including how it so often leads to murder; to challenge misconceptions, such as believing that violence within relationships is somehow not a crime, or that the victim is to blame in some way; and to show what we can all do to reduce domestic violence and its impact, including on children who witness the violence.

The Government launched "Break the Chain" in January, with a leaflet for survivors and those who might be in a position to help them, and an associated poster. This will be followed soon by guidance for agencies which deal with the victims of domestic violence.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 21 April 1999, Official Report, column 583, on the Justice and Home Affairs Council, for what reasons it was not practicable to make an earlier report to the House on the outcome of the meeting on 12 March. [83482]

Mr. Straw: We always aim to report promptly to the House on the outcome of Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings. But we can only prepare a report when we have a reliable record of the proceedings. In the

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present case, this was received in the Home Office on 16 March, and I reported to the House in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 22 March 1999, Official Report, columns 23-26. I assure the hon. Member that there was no avoidable delay.

Sudbury Prison

Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently held in HMP Sudbury; and how many of these are serving a life sentence. [83477]

Mr. George Howarth: The total number of prisoners held at Sudbury prison as at 6 May 1999 was 489. Of these, 72 are serving a life sentence.

Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life prisoners at HMP Sudbury have absconded during (a) the last two months and (b) the last six months; how many of these have committed further offences for which they have been charged during the period of time they were away from the prison; and what they were charged with. [83478]

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Mr. George Howarth: In the last two months, two life-sentenced prisoners failed to return to Sudbury from temporary release: one is still unlawfully at large; the other surrendered to the police in North Wales and has been charged with murder.

During the last six months, one life-sentenced prisoner absconded from Sudbury prison. He absconded on 5 March 1999 and surrendered to the police in Shrewsbury on 9 March 1999 with no further charges.

Also, during the last six months one other lifer failed to return from temporary release. The prisoner was arrested in Coventry and charged with shoplifting. This charge is not being proceeded with.

Public Speaking (Public Places)

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the Public Speaking in Public Places working party; and what remuneration is received by each. [83471]

Mr. Boateng: The Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM) has established a small working group to look at the various issues surrounding the development of public speaking in public places or "Speakers' Corners". The group met for the first time on 17 March this year and was attended by the following:

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Group members
Mr. A. TallentireATCM (Chair)
Mr. M. SolaATCM
Mr. S. BaxterPolice Policy Directorate, Home Office
Ms G. FraserDepartment of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
Assistant Chief Constable A. McWhirterAssociation of Chief Police Officers
Mr. G. LanderBritish Council for Offices
Mr. W. McKeeBritish Property Federation
Mr. J. OrchardKOP Pavement Shopping Ltd.

The following were also invited to attend but were unable to do so:



    A representative of the Local Government Association.

Membership of the working party is not expected to remain static and additional members are likely to be invited to the next meeting. No remuneration is provided for members of the working group.

Crime Statistics

Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of incitement to racial hatred were (a) reported, (b) investigated and (c) the subject of arrest in (i) Hammersmith and (ii) Fulham police stations in (1) 1997 and (2) 1998. [79874]

Kate Hoey [pursuant to her reply, 13 April 1999, c. 21-22]: I should like to point out that the figures in that answer, which were provided by the Metropolitan Police, were in fact figures for all racial incidents, and not for cases of incitement to racial hatred. The Metropolitan Police tell me that there was no offence of incitement to racial hatred recorded in either Hammersmith or Fulham Division during 1997 and 1998.

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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Census Returns

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Acts and the sections of those Acts which define public access to census returns. [83773]

Mr. Hoon: No Acts specifically define public access to census returns.

The following Acts and sections relate to the confidentiality of information in census returns:


The following Acts and sections govern public access to census returns within the public records system:


Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the right hon. and hon. Members who, since 1 September 1998, have been informed by the Public Record Office that access to the 1921, 1951 and 1961 census returns is covered by the Census Act 1920 as amended by the Census (Confidentiality) Act 1991. [83754]

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Mr. Hoon: I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 5 May 1999, Official Report, column 427.


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