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HMP Blantyre House
Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what options he has considered for the future use of HMP Blantyre House; and when he will make an announcement. [108417]
Mr. Boateng: As a key part of the Government's wide-ranging reforms of the youth justice system the Prison Service is developing a distinct estate for under-18-year-old boys. This forms part of a wider strategy, overseen by the new Youth Justice Board, to improve the coherence of the juvenile secure estate and drive up standards. Initially the estate will consist of 13 establishments, but the Prison Service and the Youth Justice Board have drawn up a strategy for securing further improvements in due course.
One area targeted for improvement is the provision of places in London and the south-east. To ensure that boys from the region can be held closer to home, the option of including Blantyre House within the under-18 estate has been considered. However, the proposal is contingent upon the availability of resources and trends in the prison population and it is not possible to say when a final decision will be taken. In determining Blantyre House's future, the Prison Service will seek to weigh up all the competing strategic needs. This will include the role that Blantyre House currently fulfils as a resettlement establishment.
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Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the Police Indices Formula. [107590]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Police Negotiating Board is responsible for considering all matters concerned with police pay and allowances. There are no plans currently to review the pay formula.
The formula for calculating the annual pay award for the federated ranks of the police service has been in use since 1994, and is intended to keep police pay in line with inflation. The pay award for 1997 was 3.5 per cent, for 1998, 4.0 per cent. and for 1999, 3.6 per cent, paid from September each year.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is regarding the number of members with medical qualifications on the Animal Procedures Committee. [108233]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
There is no specific policy in relation to the number of members of the Animal Procedures Committee with medical qualifications. The legislation requires that at least two thirds of the Committee's members be persons who hold full registration as a medical practitioner or veterinary surgeon or have qualifications or experience in an approved biological subject, and the Government fully recognise the importance of this requirement.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what decision has been made by Treasury Counsel regarding files on the Operation Lancet inquiry held by Cleveland police force; [108769]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Chief Constable has been informed that Treasury Counsel has provided advice to the Crown Prosecution Service on a number of files from Operation Lancet and that these files are now receiving final consideration at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Headquarters. The Chief Constable is currently considering the disciplinary issues arising from the investigation.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department between which dates Harvey Hector was held in the custody of CIB3; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement. [108075]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that Mr. Hector Harvey was arrested on 3 August 1998 for armed robbery. On his first appearance at court on 5 August 1998 he was remanded into police custody. He was subsequently remanded into the custody of Complaints Investigation Branch Number 3 (CIB3) under section 29 of the Criminal Justice Act
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1991, as amended by section 41 and schedule 1 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, to assist in the investigation of further robberies and other criminal acts.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the circumstances of the shooting of Metropolitan police officer Christopher John Paddle on 16 April 1993. [108076]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis informs me that Constable Paddle was accidentally shot in the hand while on an operation to arrest a team of armed robbers.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the complaint by Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Paddle made to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner on 19 January 1998 was not acted upon until February 1999; and if he will make a statement. [108077]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that following an incident in January 1998, solicitors acting on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Paddle wrote to the Metropolitan police seeking the return of property. Following lengthy correspondence between the solicitors and the Metropolitan police, Mrs. Paddle made a formal complaint, which was received on 23 February 1999.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of forged SAL 2 forms in circulation. [107951]
Mrs. Roche:
It is impossible to make a reliable estimate of the number of forged or counterfeit SAL 2 forms in circulation.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation there has been between his Department and HM Treasury concerning the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [108087]
Mr. Straw:
Her Majesty's Treasury were consulted as part of the normal procedure for reaching collective agreement on policy changes, including the financial implications for the criminal justice system.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce plans to change the way pensions for police and fire service personnel are allocated and funded; and if he will make a statement. [108084]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Following major reviews of the Police Pension Scheme and the Fire Service Pension Scheme, I am currently considering what long-term changes, if any, are required to the funding arrangements for the two schemes. I hope to publish specific proposals in the spring. Any such proposals will be subject to consultation--in particular with the Police Negotiating Board and the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Committee.
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Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the total cost to police forces of employing 5,000 additional recruits; what is his estimate of the total cost of retaining 5,000 officers for a year; and if he will make a statement. [108086]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Forces will be recruiting 5,000 officers over a three-year period. The cost of employing a police officer and retaining an officer for a year will vary between forces.
The estimated annual cost to police forces of 5,000 police constables would be around £150 million.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the new year period; what were the (a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104499]
Dr. Reid:
The maximum level of bonus paid to staff in my Department for working over the new year period was £250. The minimum level was £150. One member of staff received a bonus of £250 plus overtime payments for hours actually worked and two members of staff received £150.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those properties held by his Department and agencies responsible to him which are (a) wholly and (b) mainly unoccupied at present, giving locations and when they became so unoccupied in each case. [105310]
Dr. Reid:
My Department has no unoccupied properties.
15. Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to help people on low incomes make provision for their retirement. [107202]
Mr. Rooker:
Our plans to reform SERPS through the introduction of the State Second Pension are set out in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill. This was introduced to this House on 1 December 1999 and is currently subject to the usual Parliamentary processes.
The State Second Pension will help low and moderate earners, together with carers and some long-term disabled people with broken work records, to build up increased pension entitlement.
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(2) if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police on the action they have taken regarding Operation Lancet files which were returned by Treasury Counsel on 6 December 1999. [108805]
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