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Prison Service
Mr. Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Prison Service areas are to be reorganised so as to improve alignment of criminal justice boundaries. [115347]
Mr. Boateng:
The response to a consultation document issued in December 1999 was overwhelmingly supportive of Prison Service proposals to continue its predominantly geographic structure but to re-align its boundaries so that they match those of police areas and planned probation areas, the English regions and Wales. From April 2000, 12 area managers will manage establishments grouped by police areas within the boundaries of the nine English regions. Three regions--the South-East, the North-West
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and the East Midlands--will have two area managers each. There will be a further, thirteenth, manager for Wales. Two functional managers will continue to manage the higher security estate and the women's estate.
These arrangements will improve alignment of criminal justice boundaries around the nine Government Offices for the Regions and Wales and provide the Prison Service with a platform for further joint working regionally and locally with other agencies. The move to a criminal justice focus on the 42 police areas is accelerating. The Crown Prosecution Service is organised on that basis already. Crown Courts Circuits are being organised on the basis of groups of police areas, and 42 criminal justice strategy committees and trial issues groups are being established this year. Forty-two magistrates courts' committees and probation areas are planned from April 2001.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and constables there were in the Chelmsford Division of the Essex Constabulary (a) on 1 May 1997 and (b) at the latest available date; and what reports he has received from the Chief Constable about the number of (i) officers and (ii) constables there will be in that division in the next three years. [114784]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The information requested has been provided by the Chief Constable of Essex and is set out in the table. I have not received any reports on the Chief Constable's future plans for the policing of Chelmsford. Ministers have no direct control over police numbers. Under legislation passed by the previous Government in 1994 it is for individual chief constables to determine the number of police officers in their force within the resources that are available. It will also be for the Chief Constable to consider how he wishes to deploy the 103 police recruits that have been allocated to the Essex police under the Crime Fighting Fund over the next three years.
| Year | Total number of officers | Constables |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1997 | 207.5 | 162.5 |
| 1 March 2000 | 195.5 | 153 |
Correspondence
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton will receive a reply to his letter of 27 January regarding Mrs. Janet Kirkwood, a constituent. [114970]
Mrs. Roche: I apologise to the hon. Member for the fact that he has not yet received a reply to his letter of 27 January. I shall write shortly with a substantive response to the queries his constituent has raised.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich relating to Mr. Gugaueshau and the loss of passports by the Passport Office. [115031]
Mrs. Roche:
I replied to my hon. Friend on 16 March. I am sorry for the delay.
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Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the compatibility of current legislation relating to official secrets with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement. [114975]
Mr. Straw:
Reviewing legislation in the light of the Convention is a continuous process. I am aware that the issue of the compatibility of section 1(1) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 with the European Convention on Human Rights has recently been before the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords in the case of Blake v. Attorney-General and judgment is awaited.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report of Dr. Geraint Thomas into the health needs of immigration detainees. [114450]
Mrs. Roche:
I have no objection in principle to the publication of this report. However, we will need to consult with Dr. Thomas. I will provide a substantive reply after we have consulted with him.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women officers of the Metropolitan police were under suspension from duty for alleged misconduct on 1 February. [114993]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that 98 men and four women officers were under suspension from duty on 1 February 2000.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost, including salary, was of the suspension of each Metropolitan police officer suspended in the past 10 years, the period of each officer's suspension, and the date of determination of each case, indicating in each case the results of suspension broken down into (a) reinstatement, (b) retirement, (c) dismissal and (d) successful criminal prosecution. [114952]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long (a) Detective Inspector John Redgrave and (b) Detective Constable Charman of the Metropolitan police have been suspended from duty and for what reasons; when he expects their futures to be determined; and if he will make a statement. [114969]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that Detective Inspector Redgrave was suspended on 6 February 1997 and Detective Constable Charman on 4 February 1997. The inquiries into the allegations that led to their suspension are ongoing and it would not be appropriate for him to comment further at this stage.
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Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's representations made at the recent conference in Sweden on drug trafficking in Kosovo. [114927]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
My Department has not been invited to participate in any recent conferences in Sweden to discuss drug trafficking in Kosovo and has not made any representations.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist to ensure that the allocation of papers for consideration by Treasury Counsel, which have been received consequent upon a complaint having been investigated in relation to the conduct of police officers, is handled by counsel removed from any relationship either with earlier related cases, or those with police officers who are the subject of complaint; and if he will make a statement. [114966]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me the Metropolitan Police Solicitors Department forward papers to Treasury Counsel for advice. It is for the individual appointed to undertake the case to declare whether he or she would be professionally disqualified from dealing with the matter.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the results of the Metropolitan police inquiries relating to the referral by the Police Complaints Authority of the complaint by Mr. Keith Green was passed to Treasury Counsel; and if he will make a statement; [114965]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that detailed information about Mr. Green's case is not readily available. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have received it.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action has been taken in relation to the joint CIB/Kent Police investigation; and if he will make a statement. [114960]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that no disciplinary action has been taken in relation to this investigation.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints made over the last five years by (a) serving police officers, (b) retired police officers and (c) other members of the public against the conduct of (i) CIB and (ii) the Serious Crime Squad have been investigated by (1) current and (2) former officers of CIB or the Serious Crime Squad; and if he will make a statement. [114963]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the information requested is not readily available. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have received it.
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(2) for what reason on 16 December 1997 Mr. Keith Green was taken from the hospital wing of Brixton Prison for interview by two police officers; for what reasons (a) the interview was not recorded or notes taken; (b) no solicitor was present; and (c) the Prison Doctor was not informed; and if he will make a statement. [114967]
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