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Automatic Release

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the impact on the average daily prison population of ending automatic release on licence of offenders; and if he will make a statement. [114644]

Mr. Boateng: Prisoners sentenced to less than 12 months are released automatically half way through their sentence unless additional days have been imposed for breaches of discipline. These prisoners will be "at risk" until the end of their sentence; that is, if they commit a further imprisonable offence before the end of their original sentence, the court dealing with the new offence may add all or part of the outstanding sentence to any new sentence it imposes. The effect of stopping automatic unconditional release would be approximately to double the number of prisoners currently serving sentences of up to 12 months, which at the end of January 2000 was 7,200.

Prisoners sentenced to 12 months or more but less than four years are released automatically half way through their sentence (subject to additional days). They are released on licence and subject to supervision up to the three-quarter point of their sentence (or to the end in the case of some sex offenders) and are "at risk" until the end of their original sentence. The effect of stopping automatic conditional release would be to double the number of prisoners currently serving sentences of 12 months and up to four years, which at the end of January 2000 was 19,400.

Those sentenced to four years or more are eligible for parole half way through their sentence. If parole is not granted then or at a subsequent parole review, release occurs at the two-thirds point of the sentence. Release is on licence and subject to supervision up to the three- quarters point of the sentence (or to the end in the case of some sex offenders). All are "at risk" until the end of their original sentence. The effect of stopping discretionary release could be to increase the number of prisoners serving determinate sentences of four years or more by up to 20,000.

These estimates assume no change in sentencing practice by the courts.

Special Constables

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the number of special constables recruited to the Metropolitan Police Service between 30 September 1998 and 30 September 1999 is available; and if he will make a statement. [114454]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that 84 special constables were recruited to the Metropolitan Police Service between 30 September 1998 and 30 September 1999.

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External Consultants

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the external consultants used by his Department since 1997, excluding public relations and marketing consultants, and their cost. [114453]

Mr. Straw: Information listing the name and cost of all external consultants used by the Department since 1997, excluding public relations and marketing consultants can be obtained only at short notice at disproportionate cost. The individual values of consultancy contracts are commercial in confidence. The available information is as follows:

















































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    Cashton


    W. Kirkham


    B. Venner


    Holmes Ellis Consultants


    Central Communications Telecommunications Agency


    Beamount Colson Ltd.


    Dr. Saroj Patel


    Total Value: £6,208,025.

Best Value

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in delivering best value, it is his policy that comparisons should be made between the performance of basic command units within police forces; and if he will make a statement on the criteria to be used. [114457]

Mr. Charles Clarke: In January this year, for the first time, the recorded crime statistics were published at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level. This allows local people to judge and compare the performance of their local police. From July 2000, this will be augmented with recorded crime statistics being published at crime and disorder reduction partnership level.

Both the BCU and the partnerships' data will be published in a form which will assist comparison on a like with like basis. We are working, in conjunction with Leeds University, to draw up families of BCUs and partnerships, so that they can be compared with one another within these families. We expect the existence of these families to be a significant help to police forces and authorities who, under Best Value, wish to benchmark performance at local level.

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From April 2001, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary hope to undertake more comprehensive inspections at BCU level. This will also allow comparisons to be made. These inspections will be based upon the same principles as the new Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary inspection model for police authorities. A BCU inspection protocol is currently being developed.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that police forces should use (a) external consultants or (b) internal assessment for the purposes of assessing Best Value performance. [114465]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Under the Local Government Act 1999, individual police authorities are responsible for delivering best value. This includes the extent to which they use external consultants or undertake internal assessments.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1 February. [112620]

Mrs. Roche [pursuant to her reply, 6 March 2000, c. 545]: The number of staff employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1 February was 5,806.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions on which he and Ministers in his Department have undertaken overseas visits in the cause of their ministerial duties since 28 January 1999, indicating the purpose and duration of each visit. [114458]

Mr. Straw: The information requested is given in the table.

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MinisterLocationDate of travelDate of returnPurpose
Kate HoeyThe Hague7 February 19998 February 1999Ministerial visit to Europol
Kate HoeyBerlin10 February 199912 February 1999Informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA)
Home SecretaryBerlin11 February 199911 February 1999Informal meeting of JHA Council
Kate HoeyBonn23 February 199923 February 1999Restricted meeting of the JHA
Home SecretaryBrussels11 March 199912 March 1999JHA Council Meeting
Kate HoeyBrussels11 March 199912 March 1999JHA Council Meeting
Paul BoatengBrussels13 March 199914 March 1999Meeting with EU Commissioner for Social Affairs
Lord WilliamsThailand and Cambodia13 March 199919 March 1999Meetings regarding child sex exploitation matters
George HowarthBrussels16 March 199916 March 1999Meetings regarding drugs and European elections
Kate HoeyCologne24 March 199928 March 1999Attending conference on domestic violence/violence against women.
Kate HoeyLuxembourg7 April 19997 April 1999Special JHA council on Kosovo
Home SecretaryLuxembourg7 April 19997 April 1999Special JHA council on Kosovo
Kate HoeyBrussels and Turin20 April 199922 April 1999Appearance at Civil Liberties Committee and football intelligence officers
Lord WilliamsGermany10 May 199912 May 1999Meetings with German Minister responsible for prisons
Home SecretaryBonn10 May 199910 May 1999Meeting with Interior Minister
Home SecretaryBrussels26 May 199927 May 1999JHA Council Meeting
Kate HoeyBrussels26 May 199928 May 1999JHA Council Meeting
Paul BoatengChicago26 May 199928 May 1999Meetings regarding policing, drugs and social exclusion
Paul BoatengWashington28 May 19997 June 1999Severe personality disorder. Meetings and visits
Kate HoeyVilnius30 June 19991 July 1999Meetings regarding immigration and organised crime
Kate HoeyHelsinki17 July 199918 July 1999Pre-Presidency ministerial visit
Lord BassamLille19 August 199919 August 1999Attending French launch of 'Show Racism the Red Card' campaign
Home SecretaryTurku, Finland15 September 199917 September 1999JHA Council (informal meeting)
Barbara RocheTurku, Finland15 September 199917 September 1999JHA Council (informal meeting)
Barbara RocheWarsaw, Poland23 September 199923 September 1999Meeting with Polish Minister of Interior
Home SecretaryTampere, Finland14 October 199916 October 1999Special JHA Council meeting
Paul BoatengMadrid14 October 199915 October 1999Meetings regarding volunteering and prison matters
Barbara RocheLuxembourg29 October 199929 October 1999JHA Council Meeting
Paul BoatengParis16 November 199917 November 1999Attending Community Service Volunteering Conference
Paul BoatengUtrecht, Holland18 November 199919 November 1999Visit to Centre for treating severely personality disordered individuals
Home SecretaryBrussels2 December 19993 December 1999JHA Council Meeting
Home SecretaryBrussels2 December 19993 December 1999JHA Council Meeting
Barbara RocheBrussels2 December 19993 December 1999JHA Council Meeting
Barbara RocheThe Hague20 January 200021 January 2000Visit to The Netherlands. Minister Job Cohen--to see Dutch asylum
Paul BoatengStockholm26 January 200026 January 2000Stockholm International Conference on the Holocaust (accompanying Foreign Secretary)
Home SecretaryLisbon3 March 20004 March 2000JHA Meeting

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