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Judicial and Police Co-operation
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what documents have been published relating to the activities, financing and powers of Europol; what agreements need to be made prior to the commencement of operations of mixed national police teams, under its supervision within national states; and if he will state the name of the replacement committee concerning all matters of police and judicial co-operation in Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, the frequency of planned meetings and the nature and number of the representatives of the European Commission on that committee. [86226]
Kate Hoey: Europol produces an annual report that outlines the activities undertaken during the reporting period and includes a section on finance. A copy of the report for 1998 will be placed in both Libraries of the House shortly. A copy will also be sent to the European Parliament. The powers of Europol are outlined in the Europol Convention.
The principal role of Europol will be to support competent authorities of member states in their action against crime. Any decision to set up "mixed national police teams" would be for the member state principally concerned.
The senior level official committee concerned with Justice and Home Affairs issues has no formal title, but is known informally as the "Article 36 Committee". The Presidency of the day will decide how frequently it should meet. It has met once since the Treaty of Amsterdam came into effect and eight meetings are currently planned under the Finnish Presidency. The European Commission is represented at official level on the Committee; the nature and number of their representatives are matters for the Commission.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the number of former members of the armed forces in Her Majesty's prisons and into the possibility of a relationship between crimes of violence and active service; and if he will make a statement. [85663]
Mr. George Howarth:
The information requested is not available. There has been no research into the number of prisoners who have served in the armed forces and the possibility of a relationship between crimes of violence and active service.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when prisoner N18072 will be
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subject to parole review; how long he has been custody; when he was reduced to category C status; when F75 reports were completed on him; if the Director General has responded to the request for information on the prisoner from the Chief Inspector; if the report writers at HMP Kingston recommend open conditions; and how many letters from the Worthing outside probation officer to his Department are unanswered. [86353]
Mr. George Howarth:
Prisoner number N18072 is due to have a Parole Board review in October 2000. He has been in custody since 13 October 1983 and was convicted of murder on 28 January 1985. He was reduced to category C status on 12 April 1996 and his most recent F75 reports were completed in December 1996. None of the report writers at Kingston prison recommended a move to open conditions.
The Director General of the Prison Service wrote to the prisoner on 30 May 1999 in response to a request for information from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons.
The Prison Service lifer management and lifer review units have no indication that any letters from the Worthing outside probation officer remain unanswered, nor is Kingston prison aware of any such letters.
Mr. McCabe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the procedures adopted by the police in dealing with handguns and ancillary equipment handed in under the Firearms (Amendment) Acts; and what proportion of the equipment is (a) destroyed and (b) resold. [86452]
Mr. Boateng:
It is a matter for individual chief officers of police to decide on the procedures necessary to deal with surrendered handguns, ammunition and ancillary equipment taking account of operational factors and local circumstances. Information on the procedures adopted by individual police forces was not collated centrally.
Surrendered equipment which qualifies for compensation is destroyed by the police when the associated compensation claims are resolved. No equipment is resold. Any items of equipment surrendered to the police but subsequently found not to qualify for compensation may be returned to their owners.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a bill to modernise fire safety provision; and if he will make a statement. [86387]
Mr. George Howarth:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham), on 17 May 1999, Official Report, column 264. We intend to bring forward general legislation to consolidate and rationalise fire safety law along the lines proposed in our consultation document "Fire Safety Legislation for the Future", when Parliamentary time permits.
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Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a national coroner service; and if he will make a statement. [86386]
Mr. George Howarth:
The coroner service is at present provided for the community by the relevant local authority. We have no plans to put the service on a national basis for England and Wales.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers of chief constable rank and their deputies are currently suspended on full pay; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of such officers. [86879]
Mr. Boateng:
There are currently two deputies who are suspended on full pay which is 2.2 per cent. of the total of 92 chief constables and deputies, including the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police and the Assistant Commissioners and the Deputy Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police Service.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted offenders were transferred from prison to high security hospitals in the last (a) six months and (b) three months of their sentences in each of the past five years. [86432]
Mr. George Howarth:
The available relevant information has been extracted from centrally held statistics and relates to the number of convicted prisoners who were transferred in the years 1995, 1996 and 1997.
| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 3 months of release date | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Within 6 months of release date | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| Determinate sentence with date of release not recorded | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total transferred from Prison to high security(2) hospitals | 47 | 55 | 34 |
(2) Ashworth, Broadmoor and Rampton
The figures relate to transfers, by order of the Secretary of State, of prisoners serving a sentence in a Prison Service Establishment made under sections 47 and 49 of the Mental Health Act 1983. The imposition of a restriction under section 49 has the effect of requiring the Secretary of State's consent on all matters relating to leave of absence, transfer or discharge.
Soar, Devon (Sale)
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will invite bids for the redundant building and land formerly the Home Office Regional Government Headquarters at Soar, Malborough, Kingsbridge, Devon; and if he will make a statement as to the timetable for such a sale. [86430]
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Mr. George Howarth:
We have instructed our agents to arrange for the early sale of this land and building by tender on the open market. Our current expectation is that the sale will be completed by the end of September. This timetable is subject to the resolution of some outstanding issues with the owners of adjourning land.
Universities (Suspensions)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many vice-chancellors and their deputies in British universities are currently suspended on full pay; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of such persons. [86876]
Mr. Mudie: The Department does not hold this information. However, we have made inquiries and understand that no vice-chancellors or their deputies are currently suspended.
Further Education Colleges (Suspensions)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many chief executives and their deputies in further education colleges are currently suspended on full pay; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of such persons. [86877]
Mr. Mudie: The Department does not keep this information. However, we have made inquiries and understand that one chief executive and no deputies of the 435 further education colleges in England are suspended currently.
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