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Stakeholder Pensions
Mr. Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if all regulatory proposals relating to the introduction of stakeholder pension schemes will be scrutinised by the Chief Executive of the Small Business Service to ensure that they are (a) easy to understand, (b) easy to comply with and (c) difficult to evade. [107921]
Ms Hewitt: The Government's approach is to regulate only where it is necessary to achieve the desired effect. An important aim is to minimise the burden that would be placed on small firms. Therefore, the Chief Executive of the Small Business Service will be consulted by Government Departments on all regulatory proposals that affect small firms. The process of making regulations easy to understand, easy to comply with and difficult to avoid will, of course, include the proposals relating to the introduction of stakeholder pension schemes.
Waste Tyres
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many waste tyres were produced in the United Kingdom in the last year; and by what means they were disposed of. [109685]
Ms Hewitt: The Used Tyre Working Group, a joint Government/Industry initiative established to consider used tyre disposal issues, estimated that around 465,000 tonnes of tyres were disposed of in 1998. Of this total, it is estimated that value was recovered from approximately 330,000 tonnes. The table provides a breakdown:
| Tonnes | |
|---|---|
| Exports of used casings | 35,000 |
| Re-used as part-worn tyres | 29,000 |
| Other reuse (silage clamps, dock fenders, etc.) | 20,000 |
| Retreaded tyres | 86,000 |
| Materials recovery | 49,000 |
| Energy recovery | 84,500 |
| Landfill engineering | 25,500 |
It is estimated that a significant proportion of the outstanding balance of some 135,000 tonnes was disposed of in landfill, either in whole or shredded form or as automotive shredder residue.
The Used Tyre Working Group is currently in the process of collecting used tyre disposal statistics for 1999.
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The EU Landfill Directive will ban the disposal of almost all tyres to landfill during 2006, requiring the development of further tyre recovery facilities to handle those tyres that would otherwise have gone to landfill. The Government will continue to work closely with industry on this issue.
Ms Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he is setting for the employment of women in the operational fire service. [110283]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I am today announcing targets for the recruitment, retention and career progression of women in the fire service. By 2009, the Government expect 15 per cent. of the operational fire service (whole-time and retained firefighters and their officers) in England and Wales to be women and for them to remain in the service and be promoted at the same rate as their male colleagues.
At present, the number of women in the whole-time operational fire service is only 1 per cent. A recent report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services has conformed that there is no possible justification for such low numbers. The target is deliberately challenging and will require brigades to take steps to encourage a more open inclusive culture and to revise procedures and practices which the Chief Inspector's thematic review found to be potentially discriminatory.
Ms Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to review the work of the Parole Board. [110302]
Mr. Boateng:
The Parole Board is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body, established on 1 July 1996. The Government are committed to regular review of Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and have decided to conduct a review of the Board during the current year. The review will incorporate the requirements of the 'Quinquennial Review' process. The review will also look at the scope for improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Parole Board and the wider parole process (for both determinate and life sentenced prisoners).
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The review has the following terms of reference:
Within the context of a required Quinquennial Review of Parole Board functions, and the requirements of Better Quality Services and the Civil Service modernisation programme:
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the current either-way criminal offences; and if he will make a statement. [109879]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
There is no readily available list of triable either-way offences. Appendix 4 of the annual Command Paper "Criminal Statistics England and Wales" lists just over 370 triable either-way offence codes which are used for statistical purposes. Each code may cover more than one offence and these codes cover approximately 700 offences. Other triable either-way offences are grouped together under one 'ad hoc' code. Copies of the Command Paper are available in the Library.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines for criminal offences were issued in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; what was the average fine (a) for each category of offence and (b) overall; and if he will make a statement. [109880]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The information is given in the following table.
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to identify the key issues facing the parole and lifer review processes and the Parole Board over the next five years; and
as part of the Quinquennial Review programme, to consider whether the functions of the Parole Board continue to be required, and, if so, whether a Non Departmental Public Body is the best option for delivery.
to recommend changes to the parole and lifer processes which ensure that:
existing procedures are made as efficient and effective as possible;
new casework is dealt with efficiently and effectively and that demanding performance targets and measures are established with clear plans for delivery stated;
wider developments, including advancements in information technology, are integrated successfully into the parole and lifer review processes.
to recommend necessary changes to the Parole Board's status, organisation, structure and funding.
| Indictable | Summary non-motoring | Summary motoring | Total all offences | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number fined | Average fine (£) | Number fined | Average fine (£) | Number fined | Average fine (£) | Number fined | Average fine (£) |
| 1888(3) | 151,716 | 110 | 406,042 | 62 | 690,575 | 85 | 1,248,333 | 81 |
| 1989(3) | 135,403 | 123 | 406,857 | 68 | 685,560 | 102 | 1,227,820 | 93 |
| 1990(3) | 134,662 | 150 | 397,720 | 72 | 660,332 | 113 | 1,192,714 | 103 |
| 1991(3) | 118,672 | 129 | 382,119 | 74 | 665,773 | 111 | 1,166,564 | 101 |
| 1992(3) | 109,074 | 133 | 400,323 | 78 | 674,445 | 110 | 1,183,842 | 101 |
| 1993 | 102,926 | 134 | 382,256 | 102 | 606,302 | 149 | 1,091,484 | 131 |
| 1994(3) | 98,195 | 148 | 380,826 | 98 | 576,223 | 160 | 1,055,244 | 137 |
| 1995(3) | 89,424 | 157 | 328,652 | 103 | 578,639 | 166 | 996,715 | 145 |
| 1996(3) | 84,617 | 184 | 402,697 | 103 | 585,710 | 161 | 1,073,024 | 141 |
| 1997 | 88,035 | 192 | 327,312 | 104 | 583,325 | 163 | 998,672 | 146 |
| 1998 | 94,592 | 185 | 367,901 | 105 | 598,250 | 162 | 1,060,743 | 144 |
(2)Based on the number of offenders fined for their principal offence where the main or only disposal was a fine.
(3)Known shortfall in the number of proceedings in magistrates courts for these years.
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Public Service Agreements
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the public service agreement commitments made by his department since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [109882]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office Public Sector Agreement, together with those for the Criminal Justice System and Action against Illegal Drugs which also include targets for the Home Office and the services for which it is responsible, were published in the White Paper "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" in January 1999.
Performance Targets
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many performance targets have been set by his Department, agencies and non departmental public bodies since May 1997 on (a) prisons policy, (b) police policy, (c) fire and emergency planning policy, (d) probation policy, (e) immigration, asylum and nationality policy, (f) constitutional policy, (g) reducing crime, (h) the prevention of terrorism and the reduction of organised and international crime, (i) sentencing, (j) youth justice policy, (k) crime prevention policy, (l) policy relating to victims and witnesses and (m) community and voluntary sector policy; how many of those targets have been (i) amended, (ii) revoked and (iii) achieved since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [109881]
Mr. Straw: Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, key performance targets were published in the White Paper "Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" in January 1999. Those to be delivered by the Home Office and the services for which it is responsible were detailed within the Home Office, Public Service Agreement (PSA) as well as the Public Service Agreements for the Criminal Justice System and Action against Illegal Drugs. These targets, together with other key targets and milestones for the Home Office, were brought together within the 1999-2000 Business Plan for the Home Office, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.
These targets and milestones are based on outcomes required rather than functional inputs. The Business Plan, therefore, groups them according to the published Aims of the Home Office. These are as follows:
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Aim 1: Reduction in crime, particularly youth crime, and in the fear of crime; and the maintenance of public safety and good order--38 targets or milestones.
Aim 2: Delivery of justice through effective and efficient investigation, prosecution, trial and sentencing, and through support for victims--42 targets or milestones.
Aim 3: Prevention of terrorism, reduction in other organised and international crime, and protection against threats to national security--22 targets or milestones.
Aim 4: Effective execution of the sentences of the courts so as to reduce re-offending and protect the public--30 targets or milestones.
Aim 5: Helping to build, under a modernised constitution, a fair and prosperous society, in which every one has a stake, and in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced--33 targets or milestones.
In addition, 64 targets or milestones were separately identified within the Business Plan for the support directorates of the Home Office.
Aim 6: Regulation of entry to and settlement in the United Kingdom in the interests of social stability and economic growth, and facilitation of travel by United Kingdom citizens--32 targets or milestones.
Aim 7: Reduction in the incidence of fire and related death, injury and damage, and ensuring the safety of the public through civil protection--23 targets or milestones.
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