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HOME DEPARTMENT
Police Efficiency
16. Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent measures he has taken to improve efficiency in police forces. [95005]
Mr. Straw: Studies by both Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Audit Commission have shown that there is considerable scope for improving the efficiency of police forces thus releasing more officers for key operational duties.
The Comprehensive Spending Review set the police an annual target of two per cent. efficiency gains which must be reinvested in frontline policing. The new duty of Best Value will be placed upon Police Authorities from 1 April 2000, and will require them to deliver efficient and high quality services and demonstrate year on year improvements.
Police Establishment
17. Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to increase the total number of police officers in England and Wales. [95006]
19. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding plans to increase police numbers. [95008]
Mr. Straw: I made a full statement of the position on police numbers to the Home Affairs Committee and to this House on 26 October 1999, Official Report, columns 821-34.
Under legislation passed by the previous government, the powers of the Home Secretary to set overall police numbers were removed. The Government have allocated money for a Crime Fighting Fund which among other things will provide the funding for 5,000 more recruits over and above the number forces would otherwise have recruited over the next three years, commencing in April
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2000. £35 million of new money will be available to support this next year, and there will be further funding in the two following years. All of this is additional to the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for policing.
29. Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Police Federation to discuss police numbers. [95018]
Mr. Straw:
I have regular formal and informal meetings with all three Police Staff Associations to discuss a range of issues, including police numbers.
30. Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers retired from forces in England and Wales in the three years to 31 March; and if he will make a statement. [95019]
Mr. Straw:
The numbers of police officers who have retired over the last three years are as follows:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 4,478 |
| 1997-98 | 4,807 |
| 1998-99 | 4,204 |
These figures show the total of ordinary and medical retirements in each year and have been obtained from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. They do not include losses to the service through death nor do they include the figures for those officers who resigned or were dismissed in each of the above years. For these latter details I would refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 21 October 1999, Official Report, column 625.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were recruited to police forces in England and Wales in the last three years. [95009]
Mr. Straw:
Including transfers between forces, 18,384 police officers were recruited by forces in England and Wales between 1996-97 and 1998-99.
18. Ms Christine Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make changes to the pub licensing regime. [95007]
34. Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make changes to the pub licensing regime. [95023]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
We hope to publish a White Paper early in the New Year setting out our proposals for modernising the liquor and public entertainment licensing laws, and to bring forward a Bill when Parliamentary time permits.
21. Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to re-examine the rules under which the assets of convicted criminals are confiscated; and what steps he is planning to take to ensure that full disclosure of assets takes place. [95010]
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Mr. Charles Clarke:
While the courts already have extensive powers to require disclosure of assets following a conviction, and to order confiscation, the Government are preparing a package of measures to strengthen further the investigation, tracing and confiscation of criminal proceeds. The proposals will take account of the Home Office Working Group on Confiscation, whose report was published in November and is available in the Library, and of a recently initiated study by the Cabinet Office's Performance and Innovation Unit, which will be completed early next year.
22. Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support his Department gives to neighbourhood watch schemes. [95011]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Home Office officials work closely with the Neighbourhood Watch movement, which we support enthusiastically. We have funded national initiatives such as publicity campaigns and training packs which have played a considerable part in the continued growth of the movement over the years.
23. Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the education and youth services about combating drug abuse. [95012]
Mr. Boateng:
I take the opportunity in local visits to speak with teachers, youth workers and others engaged in delivering the Government's anti drugs strategy. My Department is fully engaged with the Department for Education and Employment about the role of education and youth services in combating drug abuse.
24. Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage greater use of anti-social behaviour orders. [95013]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
I wrote to all Chief Executives of local authorities and Chief Officers of police on 13 October to remind them of the uses to which anti-social behaviour orders might be put. My officials are also working closely with the Local Government Association to develop good practice on the use of these orders which we will circulate widely.
I am encouraged that more authorities are considering the use of anti-social behaviour orders--anecdotal evidence suggests that the simple threat of an order can lead to significant improvements in behaviour.
25. Mr. Bradshaw:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the regulations governing the cremation of body parts. [95014]
Mr. Boateng:
Provided the body itself has been cremated and the necessary documentation is available, there appears to be no reason why the cremation of body parts removed in the course of a post mortem should not take place. Where the body was buried, separate
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cremation of the organs is not possible, but I am prepared to propose an amendment to the Cremation Regulations to facilitate their disposal in accordance with the family's wishes.
26. Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of Staffordshire to discuss police numbers. [95015]
Mr. Straw:
The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), met the Chief Constable of Staffordshire in September to discuss a range of policing issues, including resources.
Under legislation passed by the previous government, the number of police officers in each force is determined by chief constables on the basis of the resources made available to them.
27. Mr. Malins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the backlog of asylum applications. [95016]
Mrs. Roche:
We are developing new procedures to speed up the consideration of cases in the current backlog. In addition we are recruiting around 250 new staff to deal purely with asylum applications, and training more of our existing staff in asylum skills. The Immigration and Asylum Bill sets out our proposals to deliver a more effective asylum system. This will protect those in genuine need of protection while dealing swiftly and firmly with unfounded applications. The Bill will deliver key elements of our strategy to reform the asylum system, including new support arrangements for asylum seekers.
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