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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the report of the Metropolitan police on the policing of the state visit by the President of China. [113924]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Publication of this report is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand that it will take place shortly.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals have their DNA recorded on the DNA national database; [113922]
(3) what recent reports he has received concerning DNA evidence matched using the DNA national database being used to correct miscarriages of justice on appeal; and if he will make a statement concerning the number of such cases, the nature of the use of the DNA national database for this purpose and his future plans for its use. [113920]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The National DNA Database holds the DNA profiles, obtained from samples of those suspected, cautioned or convicted of a recordable offence, for intelligence purposes. The Database also holds profiles obtained from crime stains left at the scenes of crime. It is managed and operated on behalf of the police by the Forensic Science Service. It currently holds over 700,000 profiles of individuals.
The Home Secretary has received no reports concerning inaccurate matches. The DNA Database reports a possible suspect to the Police for further investigation. If as a result, the DNA information is likely to be used as evidence, a further sample is taken from the suspect for analysis and a report on a match by a forensic science reporting officer.
The Home Secretary has received no reports concerning the DNA database and alleged miscarriages of justice. The DNA database would not normally be used for this purpose. If the Criminal Cases Review Commission
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(CCRC) asked the Forensic Science Service to review DNA evidence in a specific case, the results would be recorded on the individual CCRC case file.
There are no plans to alter the existing role of the National DNA database. Last year, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an additional investment of £34 million over the next two years to launch a programme to expand the National DNA Database so that it holds profiles of all active criminals, to be matched against samples taken from crime scenes. This will increase the Database's effectiveness as an intelligence tool.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) number (b) name and (c) cost of each inquiry into Cleveland police corruption since 1992; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of these inquiries. [114100]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
There have been two major inquiries since 1992 into alleged corruption with Cleveland police, known as Operations Lancet and Teak. The latest available costs of these inquiries are £2.2 million and £314,000 respectively. In Operation Lancet, the final decision as to whether any officer will face prosecution is now a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. Papers from Operation Teak are currently under consideration by Senior Treasury Counsel.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many units of housing are currently occupied by asylum seekers; and what is the breakdown between (a) privately-rented homes, (b) charity and housing association properties, (c) local authority housing and (d) property which would not otherwise be available for housing. [113881]
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Mrs. Roche:
This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ethnic minority police officers there were in each year since 1980 (a) nationally and (b) in each police force. [113931]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
It is not possible to provide information on the number of ethnic minority officers before 1990. Figures for 1990 can be provided only on an aggregate basis, and on a force basis only at disproportionate cost.
Ethnic minority strength | |
---|---|
March 1990 | 1,329 |
March 1991 | 1,480 |
March 1992 | 1,645 |
March 1993 | 1,794 |
March 1994 | 1,966 |
March 1995 | 2,128 |
March 1996 | 2,277 |
March 1997 | 2,337 |
March 1998 | 2,483 |
March 1999 | 2,545 |
September 1999 | 2,607 |
Note:
After 1998, ethnic minority officers on secondment to NCS and NCIS are included in table 1, but are not included in force figures at table 2.
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Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for racially aggravated assault under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [113868]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Provisional information available centrally indicates that there were 247 prosecutions for assault (as defined under section 29 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) in magistrates courts from 30 October 1998 to 30 June 1999.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it was decided that towns competing for city status for the third millennium needed a population in excess of 200,000 to qualify. [113848]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
No such decision has been made. Although population size is taken into account by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in submitting a recommendation to Her Majesty the Queen, the grant of city status is not a right that can be claimed by a town fulfilling certain criteria, but an honour conferred by the Sovereign by Letters Patent.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the name of the town to be awarded city status for the third millennium will be announced. [113847]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Thirty-nine applications have been received for the Millennium grant of city status from towns in the United Kingdom; each application is being considered on its individual merits. No date has been set for the announcement of the new city.
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