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Firearms
Mr. Hunter:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take measures to ensure that information as to whether firearms used in crime are legally or illegally held is provided by the police; and if he will publish this information. [88706]
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Mr. Boateng:
Information as to whether firearms used in crime are legally or illegally held is not published in the annual Criminal Statistics because, although the police are asked for this information, in practice they are only able to provide it in some six per cent. of cases. The information is thus not complete enough at present to make statistical analysis or publication worthwhile. The Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate is considering how to improve the quality of this data.
Fiona Mactaggart:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving pistols led to charges in the 12 months up to 1 October 1997 and in the 12 months thereafter. [88694]
Mr. Boateng:
No information is kept centrally on the number of offences involving firearms that lead to charges.
The readily available information relates to notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in which handguns were reported to have been used. Annual figures are contained in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are in the Library.
Fiona Mactaggart:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the cost to date of paying compensation to firearms' owners; [88695]
(3) what has been the cost to date of processing claims for firearms compensation; [88696]
(4) how many firearms have been surrendered following the ban on .22 pistols; [88691]
(5) how long, on average, it has taken for compensation to be paid for surrendered firearms. [88693]
Mr. Boateng:
Payments under options A and B of the compensation schemes for large and small-calibre handguns have been made in an average of 21 weeks, and in an average of 63 weeks under option C of the schemes. A total of £60.3 million has been paid in compensation to individual firearm certificate holders. The administration costs of the compensation scheme total £4.6 million. In addition, a total of £3.8 million was provided to police forces in England, Wales and Scotland to help meet their costs in handling the surrender exercise.
A total of 19,183 small-calibre pistols were surrendered to the police in England, Wales and Scotland during February 1998 following the passage of the Firearms (Amendment) (No 2) Act 1997. This is in addition to the 26,371 small-calibre pistols surrendered voluntarily under the Government's ex gratia payment scheme, which began in July 1997. Information on the number of persons charged for failing to surrender or otherwise lawfully dispose of .22 pistols was not collected centrally.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds it is proposed that accident reports from Government Departments will be exempt from publication under the draft Freedom of Information Bill. [88725]
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Mr. Straw:
The exemption was considered necessary to avoid the possibility of compromising future legal proceedings by giving a right of access to such information. The Bill as drafted requires the authority holding information falling within this class to consider disclosing it, pursuant to clause 14, in the exercise of any discretion it may have to do so. Our view was that it was appropriate to place responsibility for considering the disclosure of such information on the authority concerned.
When I appeared before the Select Committee on Public Administration on 22 June 1999, I accepted that there were arguments in favour of extending rights in this area and I undertook to reconsider the scope of this exemption.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has given police forces about enforcing the wearing of car seat belts by children; and if he will make a statement. [88726]
Mr. Boateng:
None. The enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for chief officers of police.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 91, concerning the topics to be raised by the special European Council meeting at Tampere, Finland, concerning co-ordination of judicial and home affairs, if he will define the phrase, European Judicial Area, and provide reference to the relevant Treaty articles providing a basis for its use. [88677]
Mr. Straw:
Following the conclusions of the Vienna European Council, which asked for
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 91, concerning the agenda items and related documents to be discussed at the additional European Council to be held in Tampere, Finland, in October, to consider the European Judicial Area, what criteria were used to determine which documents are inappropriate for publication; and what committees of either House of Parliament will be able to consider those published prior to that council meeting. [88690]
Mr. Straw:
As I indicated in my reply on 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 91, the documents to be submitted to the European Council will not be known until shortly before the meeting. When they are received they will be subject to the provisions relating to deposit for Parliamentary scrutiny as laid down in paragraph 127(1) of House of Commons Standing Order No. 143. Documents deposited under these provisions are sent to
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the European Scrutiny Committee and to the European Communities Committee of the House of Lords. Copies are also sent to the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 89, concerning the duties and meetings of the Article 36 Committee of the Home and Justice Ministerial Committee, what means he intends to adopt concerning communicating to Parliament its conclusions and recommendations prior to their consideration and decision by the Home Affairs Ministerial Council. [88664]
Mr. Straw:
As I informed my hon. Friend in my reply of 8 June 1999, Official Report, column 259, it was not the general practice of the Government to report to Parliament on the business of the K4 Committee. This policy will continue to apply to the work of the Article 36 Committee. The conclusions and recommendations of that Committee are considered by the Council, and a report of the Council's proceedings is of course made to Parliament.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase the protection of workers in the City of London from violent demonstrators. [88440]
Mr. Boateng:
It is vital that the people who work in the City are allowed to go about their business without fear of harassment or intimidation. It is an operational matter for the police service to ensure that public order is maintained and that the public is protected from disorderly or violent conduct. The Government will liaise closely with the City of London Police, and will consider any changes to policy or practice which the police service indicate would assist them in preventing further disruption.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research is being conducted by the Police Scientific Development Branch into the incapacitant spray PAVA; what is the aim of this research; for what reason it has been started; when this research began; when it is expected to end; and if the results of this research will be published. [88439]
Mr. Boateng:
Some research has been commissioned privately by Hertfordshire Constabulary into the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillylamide (PAVA) as a potential incapacitant spray. The Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) are not conducting any research into PAVA at present. Discussions have been held with Hertfordshire Constabulary to assess the research they have carried out to date and to assess what still needs to be done before PAVA could be considered for use in the United Kingdom. No decision has yet been taken on the future involvement of PSDB in any further research.
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(2) how many people have been charged for failing to surrender .22 pistols; [88692]
"particular attention to be paid to the creation of a European Judicial Area, in accordance with the Treaty of Amsterdam",
the Government understands the phrase "European Judicial Area" as referring principally to closer judicial co-operation in criminal and civil matters between the Member States. The relevant Treaty Articles are Article 65 of the European Community Treaty, and 29, 31 and 32 of the Treaty on European Union.
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