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Euro 2000
Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likelihood of English football hooligans obtaining tickets for Euro 2000 via the UEFA website; and what guidance he plans to issue to English fans intending to travel on the possibility of violence resulting from such sales. [105248]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Euro 2000 organisers are satisfied that their ticketing arrangements and controls will provide spectators with a safe and secure environment in the stadia and limit the potential for a significant black market in tickets. Experience suggests that the sale of tickets to individuals is easier to control, and poses less risk than a flourishing black market. Arrangements are in place for ensuring that tickets are not sold to people who are banned from attending football matches in their home country. This includes English hooligans who are subject to a Domestic or International Football Banning Order (or Exclusion or Restriction Order prior to enactment of the Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999).
The Government, police and Football Association are co-ordinating their preparations and are working closely with the host countries to minimise the risk of some English fans misbehaving during Euro 2000. Guidance will be issued to all fans prior to the tournament, but the
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message from the Dutch and Belgian authorities is clear: "fans who behave themselves will be made welcome, those who do not will be dealt with very firmly".
Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the length of time taken by the Home Office to decide whether to use the former Department of the Environment buildings at Marsham Street, London SW1. [105499]
Mr. Straw:
The reason is the overriding need to examine the options carefully on the basis of which provides the best value for money.
The future of the Marsham Street site rests on the outcome of a public private partnership project to provide modern offices for Home Office and Prison Service staff. The procurement competition was restarted last October after a strategic review of overall Government Office accommodation in the Westminster area.
Proposals from the private sector, including demolition of Marsham Street, are expected shortly. Subject to their evaluation, and the continuing demonstration of value for money, I expect to be in a position to select a Preferred Bidder by mid-year. After a period of negotiations, award of contract would follow towards the end of this year.
As the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), informed the hon. Member in his reply of 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 395W, the Home Office has assumed management responsibility for Marsham Street pending final decisions on the future of the site.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made in implementing those parts of sections 97 and 98 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 giving magistrates the power to remand juveniles to local authority secure accommodation; and what assessment he has made of the financial implications of implementation for local authorities. [105851]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The secure remand provisions in sections 97 and 98 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 were implemented on 1 June 1999. Magistrates can remand direct to local authority secure accommodation 12 to 16-year-old girls; 12 to 14-year-old boys; and 15 and 16-year-old boys who are assessed as vulnerable and for whom a place is identified in advance.
The Home Office refunds the estimated net costs to local authorities. These were agreed with the Local Government Association last year as between £1,745 and £2,148 per placement per week depending on area.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards liability under the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. [106398]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Government consider in principle that, when operating legitimately within the United Kingdom, officials from another member state
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should have the same liability for offences committed by them as United Kingdom officers. Officials from another member state would have no immunity from arrest and prosecution for an offence committed in the United Kingdom. Officials from outside the European Union or from a multi-national organisation would have the same liability for offences committed by them as a member of the public.
The Government consider in principle that it is the responsibility of officers causing civil damage to repair that damage. Any damage would be repaired as soon as possible, in general by the member state on which the incident took place. A claim would then be made against the law enforcement authority whose officials caused the damage.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the 229th Justice and Home Affairs Council, with regard to the implications for the United Kingdom of the draft provisions concerning the establishment of joint investigation teams for cross-border criminal investigations. [106386]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The draft provisions concerning the establishment of joint investigation teams for cross- border criminal investigations do not have any specific implications for the United Kingdom. The provisions are designed to provide a framework within the European Union for future joint investigation teams. The provision states explicitly that it is without prejudice to existing arrangements concerning joint investigations teams such as those currently used on a regular basis by United Kingdom law enforcement authorities such as the police service and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been under the United Nations Convention on Torture since it was incorporated into United Kingdom law. [106013]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Data on court proceedings collected centrally show that, to date, one defendant was proceeded against under section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. This was in 1994.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates, and from which countries, applications for General Pinochet's extradition have been received. [106016]
Mr. Straw:
The Spanish request for Senator Pinochet's provisional arrest was received from the Central Court of Criminal Proceedings No. 5 in Madrid on 16 October 1998. Two requests for his extradition have been received from France, on 13 November 1998 and 4 February 1999. A request for extradition was received from Switzerland on 11 November 1998, and renewed on 7 October 1999. A request for extradition was received from Belgium on 15 December 1998 and renewed in amplified form on 12 October 1999.
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Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent requests he has received, other than from the Government of Chile, for a medical examination to be carried out on General Pinochet. [106011]
Mr. Straw:
In the past few days I have received a number of requests for a medical examination of Senator Pinochet, in the context of representations made in response to my indication on 11 January that I was minded to take a decision that I will not extradite Senator Pinochet to Spain.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the medical report on the state of General Pinochet's health; and to whom he has sent copies. [106008]
Mr. Straw:
My officials received the report on 6 January, and I received it in my weekend box on 8 January. It was sent to Senator Pinochet's legal representatives, and the Law Officers and Director of Public Prosecutions, on 11 January.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the working of local partnerships in Merseyside. [106075]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
There is a strong tradition of good partnership working in Merseyside. We have not made any specific local assessment of it. The strategy document 'The Government's Crime Reduction Strategy', published in November, sets out plans to encourage more effective performance by local crime reduction partnerships.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is able to publish the statistics for 1998 concerning drugs in Merseyside referred to in his answer of 21 October 1999, Official Report, columns 618-20W. [106105]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The information on drugs referred to in my answer of 21 October to my hon. Friend will be published during February in the Home Office bulletin on Drug Seizure and Offenders Statistics. A copy of the bulletin and its associated Area and Supplementary Tables volumes will be placed in the Library in the usual way. A set of these publications will be sent to my hon. Friend on the day of publication.
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