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Foston Hall
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to ensure that prisoners at HMP and Young Offenders Institution Foston Hall have access to suitable health care. [110899]
Mr. Boateng: There is a full range of clinics and counselling services at Foston Hall prison. However, improvements are being made to health care services at the prison. The governor has had discussions with the chief executive of Derbyshire National Health Service to agree new arrangements under the new joint Prison Service/National Health Service partnership. All standards will be met under the new partnership. A health questionnaire prepared by the health authority has been completed by prisoners and will form the basis of a needs analysis.
Gambling
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to set up an inquiry into the future of gambling; and if he will make a statement. [111274]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Twigg) on 16 February 2000, Official Report, columns 537-38W, which set out the terms of reference for the review of gambling which should start shortly after Easter and which will be undertaken by a review body chaired by Sir Alan Budd.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in the reform of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [110590]
Mrs. Roche: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has continued to operate an efficient port control, facilitating the arrival in the United Kingdom of nearly 90 million passengers (returning residents, tourists,
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business travellers, students and others), while preventing the admission of those not entitled to enter and removing many not entitled to stay. Workload pressures and operational difficulties have slowed dispatch of asylum and other casework, but the ground has been laid for recovery. A new legislative framework has been established for the future conduct of immigration and asylum business in the interests of the economic growth and social stability of the United Kingdom.
Performance Inspection Probation Report
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the Performance Inspection Probation report for the West Midlands Region. [110589]
Mr. Boateng: I have considered the reports by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Probation on the five services in the West Midlands region resulting from inspections carried out early in 1999 under his Performance Inspection Programme of probation services in England and Wales.
The Chief Inspector considers that two services, Hereford and Worcester and Warwickshire, are generally performing satisfactorily; that Staffordshire, while not performing satisfactorily in all respects, has features which contain good practice; and that Shropshire and West Midlands services are underachieving.
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This last point is a matter of serious concern. Shropshire and West Midlands services receive a full follow up inspection later this year, as part of a planned programme of such inspections.
I will consider the position further on receipt of reports of these re-inspections.
Anti-social Behaviour Orders
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been implemented in each police authority area. [111020]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Records of the numbers of anti-social behaviour orders granted by the courts are not currently held centrally, but we understand that about 25-30 orders have been made.
Court Order Pilots
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the areas in which (a) reparation orders, (b) parenting orders, (c) child safety orders and (d) action plan orders are being piloted; and how many such orders which have been issued to date in each pilot area since the legislation came into force. [111021]
Mr. Boateng: The information requested is set out in the table. It indicates the number of orders made in the pilot areas from 30 September 1998 to 31 January 2000, the latest date for which this information is available.
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| Pilot area/order | Reparation order | Parenting order | Action plan order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 20 | 2 | 27 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 21 | 0 | 30 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 23 | 3 | 53 |
| Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight | 637 | 28 | 401 |
| Wolverhampton | 147 | 19 | 127 |
| Sheffield | 236 | 9 | 84 |
| Lewisham | (57)-- | 13 | (57)-- |
| Devon | (57)-- | 12 | (57)-- |
| Bedfordshire | (57)-- | 31 | (57)-- |
| Luton | (57)-- | 12 | (57)-- |
| St. Helens | (57)-- | 23 | (57)-- |
| Sunderland | (57)-- | 90 | (57)-- |
| Blackburn | 26 | (57)-- | (57)-- |
| Total | 1,110 | 242 | 722 |
(57) The provision is not being piloted in this area
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In addition, two child safety orders have been made, both in the Sunderland pilot area.
Hendon Police Training College
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers have applied to join training at the Metropolitan Police Training College at Hendon commencing in March 2000. [110976]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Metropolitan Police Commissioner informs me that as at 18 February, there are 80 applicants to join the March 2000 intake.
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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum number of officers which can be taken for training by the Metropolitan Police Training College at Hendon on a monthly basis. [110969]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Metropolitan Police Commissioner informs me that the training college at Hendon provides a wide range of residential and non-residential training courses, including recruit training. The maximum number of officers who can be accommodated for residential courses is 945.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers were taken for training by the Metropolitan Police Training College at Hendon in each month since April 1999 to date. [110968]
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Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
| Month | Intake |
|---|---|
| April | 145 |
| May | 0 |
| June | 86 |
| July | 90 |
| August | 110 |
| September | 103 |
| October | 87 |
| November | 94 |
| December | 0 |
| January | 101 |
| February | 57 |
Note:
Intakes are five weekly, so some months have no intake
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Police Officers
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimates he has received from each police force of total wastage in police numbers for the three years commencing in April 2000; [110977]
- (2) what estimates he has received from each police force of the actual wastage in police numbers for the three years commencing in April 2000. [110755]
Mr. Charles Clarke: In their bids for a share of the recruitment scheme of the Crime Fighting Fund, forces provided information on their projected wastage over the next three years. The table shows the estimates they have given for (i) wastage in terms of losses to each force and the Police Service as a whole; and (ii) projected transfers (i.e. transfers from each force into another), for the next three years. The latter are not losses to the Service.
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| Projected wastage in terms of losses to each force and the service | Projected transfers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force | 2000-01 | 2000-02 | 2000-03 | Total | 2000-01 | 2000-02 | 2000-03 | Total |
| Avon and Somerset | 115 | 111 | 111 | 337 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 25 |
| Bedfordshire | 45 | 49 | 57 | 151 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 18 |
| Cambridgeshire | 63 | 62 | 57 | 182 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| Cheshire | 78 | 90 | 102 | 270 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| City of London | 40 | 39 | 39 | 118 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 40 |
| Cleveland | 53 | 58 | 53 | 164 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| Cumbria | 57 | 57 | 57 | 171 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| Derbyshire | 73 | 74 | 73 | 220 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 132 | 84 | 96 | 312 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| Dorset | 81 | 72 | 61 | 214 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Durham | 49 | 56 | 54 | 159 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 40 | 42 | 40 | 122 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Essex | 114 | 115 | 117 | 346 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 |
| Gloucestershire | 36 | 50 | 50 | 136 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Greater Manchester | 278 | 279 | 257 | 814 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 |
| Gwent | 59 | 51 | 54 | 164 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Hampshire | 150 | 152 | 170 | 472 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 |
| Hertfordshire | 93 | 105 | 95 | 293 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 65 |
| Humberside | 89 | 94 | 80 | 263 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| Kent | 150 | 141 | 145 | 436 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 58 |
| Lancashire | 102 | 100 | 116 | 318 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Leicestershire | 75 | 83 | 94 | 252 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| Lincolnshire | 63 | 63 | 52 | 178 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Merseyside | 145 | 155 | 165 | 465 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 |
| Metropolitan | 1,200 | 1,100 | 1,050 | 3,350 | 200 | 200 | 150 | 550 |
| Norfolk | 53 | 63 | 62 | 178 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| North Wales | 59 | 59 | 59 | 177 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| North Yorkshire | 56 | 58 | 59 | 173 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 16 |
| Northamptonshire | 43 | 54 | 58 | 155 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Northumbria | 124 | 124 | 118 | 366 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 36 |
| Nottinghamshire | 78 | 78 | 78 | 234 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| South Wales | 152 | 152 | 152 | 456 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| South Yorkshire | 102 | 102 | 99 | 303 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 33 |
| Staffordshire | 81 | 81 | 81 | 243 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 |
| Suffolk | 54 | 52 | 55 | 161 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Surrey | 142 | 242 | 105 | 489 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 70 |
| Sussex | 185 | 185 | 185 | 555 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 |
| Thames Valley | 164 | 181 | 195 | 540 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 |
| Warwickshire | 46 | 49 | 47 | 142 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| West Mercia | 104 | 94 | 94 | 292 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| West Midlands | 312 | 312 | 312 | 936 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 129 |
| West Yorkshire | 190 | 209 | 197 | 596 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 32 |
| Wiltshire | 41 | 48 | 48 | 137 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Total | 5,366 | 5,425 | 5,249 | 16,040 | 583 | 571 | 531 | 1,685 |
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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) total wastage and (b) actual wastage in police numbers has taken place since March 1999 on a monthly basis in respect of each police force. [110972]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Wastage figures for the police are not collected on a monthly basis. The numbers of officers who left police forces between April and September 1999 are given in the table. These figures do not reflect recruitment to forces during this period.
| Police force | Number of officers |
|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset | 60 |
| Bedfordshire | 31 |
| Cambridgeshire | 28 |
| Cheshire | 39 |
| City of London | 31 |
| Cleveland | 34 |
| Cumbria | 35 |
| Derbyshire | 21 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 65 |
| Dorset | 36 |
| Durham | 25 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 19 |
| Essex | 99 |
| Gloucestershire | 30 |
| Greater Manchester | 155 |
| Gwent | 40 |
| Hampshire | 111 |
| Hertfordshire | 50 |
| Humberside | 48 |
| Kent | 64 |
| Lancashire | 54 |
| Leicestershire | 36 |
| Lincolnshire | 29 |
| Merseyside | 85 |
| Metropolitan Police | 715 |
| Norfolk | 28 |
| Northamptonshire | 16 |
| Northumbria | 62 |
| North Wales | 26 |
| North Yorkshire | 33 |
| Nottinghamshire | 45 |
| South Wales | 95 |
| South Yorkshire | 63 |
| Staffordshire | 39 |
| Suffolk | 29 |
| Surrey | 35 |
| Sussex | 88 |
| Thames Valley | 90 |
| Warwickshire | 21 |
| West Mercia | 57 |
| West Midlands | 157 |
| West Yorkshire | 105 |
| Wiltshire | 25 |
| NCS | 137 |
| NCIS | 14 |
| Total all forces | 3,105 |
(58) Wastage includes retirements, dismissals, deaths and departures for other reasons
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 February 2000, to the hon. Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon), Official Report, column 172W, of the 12,478 police officers, how many are planned to be recruited by each force in each of the three years commencing in April. [110754]
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Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) of 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 172W, on police officer recruitment, if he will give a breakdown for each police force, in each year, of the officers they are planning to recruit over the next three years; for what reason the estimated figure of general police recruitment over the next three years is lower than the estimate he gave in October 1999 to the Home Affairs Committee; and if he will make a statement. [110743]
Mr. Charles Clarke: In their bids for a share of the recruitment scheme of the Crime Fighting Fund, forces provided information on their planned recruitment over the next three years. The table shows the projected appointments on probation and transfers in from other forces.
Actual recruitment levels will depend on the chief officer's decisions in the light of the available resources--including the outcome of the 2000 Spending Review now under way.
When my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary spoke to the Home Affairs Committee on 26 October last year, the best estimate at that time for the recruitment of new officers to the police service over the next three years was based on projecting forward past trends and suggested between a little over 13,000 and 16,500, but crucially, depending on the assumptions made about the impact of future budget pressures. Professor Buck independently verified these figures and thought that taking 15,000 as an indicative figure for planning purposes was not unreasonable. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary said that we would be seeking more specific information from forces about their recruitment plans.
In bidding for a share of the Fund, forces were asked for details of the numbers of officers (new to the service) that they were planning to recruit over the next three years. Their projections come to 12,478.
Forces' projections reflect the decisions and assumptions they and their police authorities have made about the way in which they will use the resources available to them, not just next year but in the two following years, where budgets have yet to be settled.
(59) West Mercia uncertain about level of budget: 31 or 66 will be recruited in 2000-01.
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