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Correspondence
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters dated 26 August, 16 September and 19 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. A. Richards. [104457]
Mr. Straw: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 January in response to his letters of 26 August, 16 September and 19 November on behalf of Mr. Richards. I am extremely sorry that I was unable to do so sooner, and would like, through my right hon. Friend, to extend my apology to Mr. Richards for the delay.
Fire Fatalities
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fatalities in domestic premises were caused by fire in (a) 1998, (b) 1993, (c) 1988, (d) 1983 and (e) 1999. [104507]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information provided relates to the number of deaths occurring in dwelling fires attended by United Kingdom local authority fire brigades.
| Year | Deaths |
|---|---|
| 1983 | 710 |
| 1988 | 731 |
| 1993 | 524 |
| 1998(10)(11) | 489 |
| 1999 | (12)-- |
(10) 1998 data are estimated to account for revisions expected due to further information becoming available.
(11) Includes late calls. Heat and smoke incidents not recorded prior to 1994.
(12) Data not yet available.
Asset Sales
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies since 11 February 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104472]
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Mr. Straw:
A review by my Department of sales of fixed assets previously listed in Chapter seven of the National Assets Register, is being undertaken. To date, it has revealed the following information for the Home Office, including the Prison Service:
Since 11 February 1999, land and buildings have been sold generating revenue of approximately £10,914,000; revenue from sales of vehicles was approximately £188,000; and sales of plant, machinery and Information Technology equipment produced £76,000.
Therefore, the total estimated revenue from such sales to date is £11,179,000 (rounded).
I regret that it is not possible to give an itemised list of such sales because of the large numbers involved and the disproportionate cost of compiling this information.
As soon as the remaining Home Office entities and the executive Non Departmental Bodies have completed their review, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his written answer of 10 January 2000, Official Report, column 20W, on stalking, when he expects to receive the research report he has commissioned into the effectiveness of the Protection of Harassment Act 1997; and who is undertaking the research. [104843]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The research is currently being undertaken by my Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. I expect to receive the report by July.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the implications for animal welfare of the operation of the British Greyhound Racing Fund; and if he will make a statement. [104839]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
We have received a number of letters suggesting that not enough of the contributions made by bookmakers to the British Greyhound Racing Fund is devoted to the aftercare of greyhounds on retirement from racing. The distribution of Fund income
19 Jan 2000 : Column: 463W
is not a matter for the Government. We are, however, pleased that the Fund and the National Greyhound Racing Club are both financially supporting the work of the Retired Greyhound Trust, which has had some success in increasing the number of dogs re-homed at the end of their racing careers.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis indicating, in each year since 1997, the amount of CS spray which the Commissioner (a) purchased, (b) distributed, (c) returned to storage, (d) wrote off as no longer safe for operational purposes, indicating how such unsafe stocks are disposed of and (e) has not otherwise accounted for. [105075]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that in 1997, approximately 29,500 canisters of CS spray were purchased and distributed among Operational Command Units (OCUs). An annual breakdown of purchases since 1997 is not readily available, but since then, a total of approximately 1,000 canisters have been purchased by individual OCUs throughout the Metropolitan Police District. As of 13 January, approximately 1,500 used and 15 damaged canisters had been returned to storage at local OCUs for ultimate destruction by the Army. I understand that no canisters are unaccounted for.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in encouraging the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development to rescind guideline 401 concerning the LD50 animal test; what is Her Majesty's Government's policy toward this test; and if he will make a statement. [105072]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Section 5(5) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, as amended in September 1998, does not allow licensing of the LD50 (Guideline 401) test for the purpose of meeting international regulatory requirements. The general principle is that a test will be licensed only where there is not a scientifically valid and reasonably practicable and accepted alternative. There may be cases where no exact alternative is available and Guideline 401 (the LD50 test) can lawfully be licensed.
With the support of the United Kingdom Government, the European Commission has invited the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to delete test 401 from its guidelines.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many notifiable offences there were in West Mercia in each year from 1992 to date; and if he will make a statement; [105070]
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(2) if he will list the clear-up rates for reported crime for West Mercia Police for each year from 1992 to date; and if he will make a statement. [105068]
| Notifiable offences | Clear-up rate (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 79,175 | 34 |
| 1993 | 82,832 | 29 |
| 1994 | 83,949 | 29 |
| 1995 | 80,013 | 28 |
| 1996 | 82,254 | 26 |
| 1997 | 76,762 | 28 |
| 1998-99(13) | 81,782 | 34 |
(13) Year ending 31 March. The counting rules for notifiable offences changed on 1 April 1998. The figures given for this year are based on the new counting rules, which are not directly comparable to the previous figures. The clear-up rate is likewise not directly comparable.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers West Mercia Police Authority had in each year from 1992 to date; and if he will make a statement. [105069]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is set out in the table.
| Year(14) | Police numbers |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 2,034 |
| 1993 | 2,054 |
| 1994 | 2,059 |
| 1995 | 2,046 |
| 1996 | 2,017 |
| 1997 | 2,040 |
| 1998 | 2,010 |
| 1999 | 2,025 |
(14) As at 31 March
Handguns
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many handguns have been surrendered under the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; and of these how many have been (a) destroyed, (b) retained for training purposes, (c) retained for museum and display purposes, (d) sold for (i) export and (ii) re-use and (e) earmarked for other uses. [104802]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
A total of 162,198 handguns were surrendered to the police under the terms of the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997. The vast majority of these handguns will have been, or will be, destroyed when the associated compensation claims have been resolved. There are now less than 800 claims outstanding. A small number of surrendered handguns will be retained by the police, Her Majesty's Customs and the Forensic Science Service for training purposes. No central records are held of the number of handguns retained for this purpose. Examples of particular note or historic interest will be made available to suitably authorised museums. The National Museums Consortium, which represented museums in England and Wales for the purposes of the surrender exercise, has selected approximately 4,600 handguns for consideration for retention by museums. No surrendered handguns have been sold, either here or abroad, and none are earmarked for other purposes.
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