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Stalking
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under anti-stalking legislation; how many such prosecutions were successful; and in how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service has appealed against the sentences given. [92234]
Mr. Boateng: Available data from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, for 1997 and provisionally for 1998, are given in the table.
| Offence/disposal | 1997 | 1998 (8) |
|---|---|---|
| Section 2--Offence of harassment (summary) | ||
| Total proceeded against | 507 | 4,304 |
| Total convicted | 249 | 2,221 |
| Conviction rate(9) | 49 | 52 |
| Section 4--Putting people in fear of violence | ||
| Total proceeded against | 243 | 1,505 |
| Total convicted | 76 | 522 |
| Conviction rate(9) | 31 | 35 |
(7) Came into force on 16 June 1997
(8) Provisional
(9) The number of offenders convicted at all courts as a percentage of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts
Police Service (Women)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women left the police service before reaching normal retirement age in each of the last five years; what were the reasons for their early retirement; if he will list the number and reasons for women's early retirement in Merseyside Police; and what initiatives he has to retain in and recruit women to the police service. [92259]
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 67
Mr. Boateng:
The Police service, supported by the Government, seeks to encourage applications to the police service from all under represented groups. As part of this strategy, we are proposing to review the whole recruitment process from application to selection with a view to removing any discriminatory practices.
Women now represent 15.17 per cent. of police officers in England and Wales and there has been a steady increase in female representation at senior ranks. There are now three women chief constables out of a total of 43.
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 68
While we are encouraged with the steady increase in the number of women officers and we welcome local force initiatives, we do accept that women are still poorly represented, and we intend to look at what further action can be taken to increase female representation throughout the service.
The number of women who left the police service before reaching normal retirement age, together with the number and reasons for women taking early retirement in Merseyside are listed in the tables:
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 67
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police dismissed or required to resign | 118 | 95 | 110 | 14 | 18 |
| Police voluntary resignations | 194 | 187 | 172 | 258 | 241 |
| Police medical retirements | 380 | 390 | 376 | 348 | 316 |
| Police ordinary retirements | 78 | 30 | 63 | 40 | 53 |
| Police deaths | 4 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 6 |
| Total wastage | 774 | 711 | 732 | 667 | 634 |
| Left before ordinary retirement | 696 | 681 | 669 | 627 | 581 |
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 67
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 67
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 67
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much expenditure his Department (a) has incurred to date and (b) expects to incur in the future, on preparations for possible United Kingdom entry into the European single currency; and if he will make a statement. [92554]
Mr. Straw
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: Following the publication of the Government's Outline National Changeover Plan, the Home Office is considering what preparation may be necessary for the introduction of the euro. The Home Office has no specific budget for euro preparations.
Existing staff resources have been used in the initial management planning that has taken place to date. No additional cash expenditure has been incurred. Nor will any additional funds be sought in the foreseeable future to draw up plans. Departmental changeover work will continue using existing staff resources.
Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a public inquiry into the death of Ms Loraine Whiting, a constituent of the hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey. [92497]
Mr. Straw
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: This tragic case has already been investigated at a Coroner's inquest and by the Police Complaints Authority. I do not consider that a further inquiry would bring any significant new information about the case to light.
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 68
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Immigration Appellate Authority to send an explanatory statement to Mr. Wright of Holne, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, in relation to its decision of 2 December 1998 to refuse a visa to his wife Mrs. Miranda Musraj (Wright); and if he will make a statement. [92216]
Mr. Mike O'Brien
[holding answer 21 July 1999]: The Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) sent an explanatory statement to Mrs. Musraj (Wright) and her representative on 23 July 1999. The date set for the hearing of the appeal is 18 August 1999 at 10 a.m. at Taylor House, London. It is not the normal practice of the IAA, who are completely independent of the Home Office, to send a copy of the statement to any person other than the appellant and their nominated representative.
Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he will ensure that Bedfordshire Police Authority has sufficient funds to cover the introduction of the Public Safety Radio Communications Project. [92533]
Mr. Boateng:
The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO), which is responsible for managing the Public Safety Radio Communications Project (PSRCP) is at an advanced stage of negotiations with British Telecommunications which will lead to a firm price for authorities to consider as part of their business case.
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 69
Over the next three years, the police service will receive an additional £1.24 billion in central government funding. The Government have also relaxed the rules on the use of capital receipts from the sale of assets. Police Authorities now have the freedom to use all proceeds from sales for capital investment. The scope for additional funding for the PSRCP is under consideration.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers left the Metropolitan police other than through ill health and ordinary retirement (a) during 1998 and (b) during 1999 to date. [93085]
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the number of officers leaving the Metropolitan police other than through ill health and ordinary retirement was 645 in 1998 and 389 to 22 July 1999.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the number of police officers expected to retire from the Metropolitan police (a) during 1999, (b) in 2000 and (c) in 2001. [93086]
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the number of officers expected to retire from the Metropolitan police service during 1999 to 2001 is:
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the information requested is given in the table:
1999: 1,000
2000: 950
2001: 900.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of officers who left the Metropolitan police other than through ill health and normal retirement during the past two years (a) left the police service altogether and (b) transferred to other UK police forces. [93087]
| Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1998 | |
| Officers leaving the police service altogether | 18.4 | 23.1 |
| Officers transferring to other police forces | 18.8 | 13 |
Note:
When 100 per cent. = the total number of officers who left the Metropolitan police in each year.
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detective inspector and detective chief inspector posts within the Metropolitan Police remain unfilled. [93083]
Kate Hoey: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that at the end of June, 73 detective inspector posts were unfilled, and there was one detective chief inspector more than the budgeted manpower target.
Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police recruits were admitted to each initial training course at the Metropolitan Police Training College at Hendon (a) during 1998 and (b) during 1999 to date. [93084]
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 70
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the number of police recruits admitted to each initial training course at the Metropolitan Police Training College at Hendon during 1998 and 1999 to date, is as given in the table:
| Recruit intake | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Intake 1 | 93 | 143 |
| Intake 2 | 71 | 142 |
| Intake 3 | 153 | 183 |
| Intake 4 | 140 | 145 |
| Intake 5 | 183 | 90 |
| Intake 6 | 178 | 93 |
| Intake 7 | 174 | (10)110 |
| Intake 8 | 131 | -- |
| Intake 9 | 149 | -- |
(10) expected
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