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Child Protection
Mr. Burnett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the last three years for which figures are available, what was the average time taken to process a criminal record check under child protection arrangements (a) per police force area and (b) in total; and if he will make a statement. [114734]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The table shows information in relation to checks conducted by police forces in England and Wales under the terms of Home Office Circular 47/1993. Arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.
17 Mar 2000 : Column: 371W
(3) Problem with computer system.
(4) Figures relate to 91 per cent. of checks processed for this period (Cleveland does not record the time taken to process each request).
(5) Force does not request checks from other forces.
(6) Force only records time taken from date form is input onto record log system to date reply sent. It does not refer to time taken from date the form was received.
(7) Figures only relate to 1 June 1997--31 March 1998. Thames Valley installed a new computer system which went live on 1 June 1997 and records details more efficiently.
(8) Figures relate to (a) 75 per cent. and (b) 30 per cent. of checks processed for this period (Cleveland does not record the time taken to process each request).
17 Mar 2000 : Column: 373W
17 Mar 2000 : Column: 373W
Mr. Burnett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal record checks were carried out under child protection arrangements in each month in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [114735]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The available information is set out in the following table, which shows numbers of checks carried out by police forces in England and Wales under the terms of Home Office Circular 47/93. Arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective Secretaries of State.
(9) Figures only relate to 1 June 1997 to 31 March 1998. Thames Valley installed a new computer system which went live on 1 June 1997 and records details more efficiently--previous records only kept on paper and not as reliable.
Note:
n/a = Figures are not available. Norfolk have ceased collecting these statistics.
17 Mar 2000 : Column: 374W
17 Mar 2000 : Column: 375W
Mr. Burnett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning delays in the issuing of criminal records checks on individuals under child protection arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [114733]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
We have received several letters and telephone calls over the past year concerning delays in obtaining criminal record checks. Under arrangements agreed with the Home Office, police forces in England and Wales aim to reply to employers and other agencies within 10 days, unless inquiries need to be made of other forces in which case the aim is to reply within three weeks. However, these targets are subject to the allocation of resources within each police force which is the responsibility of the Chief Constable.
Arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist for a city to have its title and status removed. [114882]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Apart from those cities that enjoy city status by ancient prescriptive usage, city status is an honour conferred by the Sovereign by Letters Patent. As it is a matter for the Royal Prerogative, the Sovereign can strip a city of its status, but this has never been done. Any city acknowledged by ancient prescriptive usage would be expected to have had that status confirmed by local government legislation during the last 100-150 years. It is possible, however, under local government re- organisation legislation, for a new local authority to lose the city status previously enjoyed by part of that authority.
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