House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Feb 2000 (pt 29)

Political Parties, Elections and

Referendums Bill

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence between himself and the Committee on Standards in Public Life relating to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill since the first reading of the Bill. [111919]

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Mr. Straw: Yes. I wrote to the noble Lord, Lord Neill, on 22 December 1999 and 17 January 2000, and he replied to the second of my letters on 4 February 2000. Copies of the three letters have been placed in the Library.

Metropolitan Police (Recruitment)

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of the Metropolitan Police Service with regard to the (a) reviewing of applications, (b) re-interviewing of applicants and (c) employment of applicants for recruitment in cases where applications have been declined after an interview. [111813]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the Metropolitan Police are reviewing their recruitment process. As part of this, about 1,000 applications which were rejected in the last half of 1999 are being reviewed. Where, as a result, applicants might now appear suitable, they are being asked whether they wish to pursue their original application.

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recruits to the Metropolitan Police Service have been employed notwithstanding the fact that their applications were initially declined after an interview in each of the years (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to date. [111814]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the information requested is not recorded centrally.

Criminal Records Bureau

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 February 2000, Official Report, column 409W, on the Criminal Records Bureau, if he will list the members of the SERCO-led consortium. [111097]

Mr. Charles Clarke: In the e.Cres consortium, the prime contractor is SERCO, with DeLoitte Consulting and ICL as sub-contractors.

British Citizenship

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has involved the Family Policy Division of the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Legal Visitor of the Court of Protection in the review by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the full capacity requirement for renunciation of British citizenship and applications for it under the British Nationality Act 1981; [111409]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

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Mrs. Roche: It is not possible to say when the review will be completed. It is being conducted as other priorities permit. I shall, of course, take note of my hon. Friend's suggestions as to who might be consulted.

Prison Nursing Service

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce prison nursing services run jointly with the local NHS trust hospital in the area of the prison; and if he will make a statement. [111465]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Improvements to the way nursing services are organised and delivered in prison are an essential part of the reforms to prison healthcare now underway following the Government's acceptance of the recommendations in the joint Prison Service/ National Health Service Executive report, 'The Future Organisation of Healthcare' published in March 1999.

Prisons and health authorities are jointly assessing prisoners' health needs at establishment level in order to identify, among other things, ways of delivering nursing services which both meet those needs and are integrated with local provision. One particular objective will be to ensure that nursing staff who work in prisons enjoy the same level of professional involvement, clinical supervision and training as their colleagues who work in the National Health Service. To assist this my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Home Office asked Ms Liz Haggard of the Office of Public Management to chair a working group to consider the development of the prison nursing workforce, with particular reference to healthcare officers, and report, with recommendations, by mid-March 2000.

Prison Segregation

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women were being held in segregation units of prisons in England and Wales on 14 February. [111464]

Mr. Charles Clarke: On 14 February 2000, there were 1,433 men and 13 women recorded as being held in segregation units in prisons in England and Wales.

Prisons (Disabled People)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many disabled people were in prison in England and Wales on 14 February; [111467]

(a)

(b)

Mr. Charles Clarke: This information is not collected centrally.

Prisoners (Controls and Constraints)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the control and constraints that are permitted to be used on inmates in prisons in England and Wales; what records the prison authorities must keep

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of their use; what obligation there is for the governor of the prison to be informed immediately of the use of such restraints; and if he will make a statement. [111141]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The various control and restraint techniques and the authority for their use on prisoners in England and Wales are contained in Prison Service Order 1600 (Use of Force) and Standing Order 13 (Health Matters), copies of which are in the Library. The Orders make clear that only reasonable force may ever be used and that on every occasion that it is a formal record must be made and kept. Whenever the use of force is planned it is authorised by the governor. However, officers may use force in immediate response to violent incidents when it is impractical to obtain the prior authority of the governor.

Prison Boards of Visitors

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many board of visitors annual reports for 1999 have been received by his Department; and if he will list the boards of visitors and the prisons for which they are responsible. [111463]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Annual reports to my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary for 1999 had been received from the 80 Boards of Visitors listed in the table as at 18 February 2000. Reports from the remaining 53 boards due to submit their annual report for 1999 should be received by 31 March 2000.

Of the 80 Boards of Visitors only one--Grendon/ Springhill--has responsibility for more than one establishment.

1999 Annual Reports received from Boards of Visitors