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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.
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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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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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.
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.
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.
14 Mar 2000 : Column: 169W
Consultant
Helix Consulting Group
Janet Maitland
Debenham Consulting
Kinsley Lord
Ioanann Management Consultants
Kermon
KPMG
Smythe Dorward Lambert
Clear Communication
BDO Stay Hayward
Admiral
Manpower IT Services
Institute for Employment Studies
Ernst & Young/Qi/Bull
EcSoft
Equilibra
Angela Harris
Mary Manolias
Tom Debenham Consultant
Capitas Ras
PA Consultancy
Gensys Editoral
Priority Training Ltd. (Bull)
Hendra
PA Consulting Group
Price Waterhouse Coopers
Sir William Stubbs
Summerfield Wilmot Keene
Mark Carroll
Mike Briggs
Brian Farrington Ltd.
Mott McDonald
Mr. Ron Harrington
Winfield Consulting
AWA Associates
South Bank University Enterprises
Derek Sullivan
Guy Sears
Munro Sutherland
West Midlands Fire Service
J. Carven
David Hayton
C. Herbert
J. Greenwell
W. Mumford
J. Mulley
R. Hastie Smith
Cashton
W. Kirkham
B. Venner
Holmes Ellis Consultants
Central Communications Telecommunications Agency
Beamount Colson Ltd.
Dr. Saroj Patel
Total Value: £6,208,025.
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