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Laptops
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many laptop computers used by Ministers, officials and special advisers in his Department have been (a) lost and (b) stolen since May 1997. [123744]
Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
25 May 2000 : Column: 620W
From the available information, none of these losses/ thefts have been incurred by Ministers or special advisers.
| Date | Numbers lost or stolen |
|---|---|
| 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 | 23 |
| 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 | 17 |
| 1 April 1999 to 23 May 2000 | 12 |
| Total | 52 |
25 May 2000 : Column: 621W
Opinion Research
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place copies of the results of all market and opinion research carried out by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, in the Library. [123814]
Mr. Rooker: Research commissioned under the Department's Research Programme has included public opinion research to inform the development and evaluation of policy. All such research is published on completion and available in the Library. In addition, the War Pensions Agency carries out a Customer Service Survey annually, the results of which are published.
The Communications Directorate of the Department commissions research to develop and evaluate publicity campaigns or to inform other presentational issues. All reports are either placed in the Library or are available on request. If a report is not available, this may be because the full research has not yet been completed (i. e. reports not yet finalised by contractors, or the fieldwork is still in progress) or findings are still being employed to inform communications activity.
Statistics
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what statistics relating to the responsibilities of his Department are collated by parliamentary constituency, indicating the dates covered in each case. [123844]
Mr. Rooker: The information is as follows:
Income Support: Figures for this benefit are available at Parliamentary Constituency level on a quarterly basis from August 1998, the latest available being November 1999, with February 2000 due to be published 25 May 2000.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Figures for this benefit are also available at Parliamentary Constituency level for August 1998, and the two quarters August 1999 and November 1999, with February 2000 due to be published on 8 June 2000.
Family Credit: These figures are available at Parliamentary Constituency level only for May 1999 and was replaced by Working Families Tax Credit in October 1999.
Attendance Allowance: Figures at Parliamentary Constituency level, based on a 5 per cent. sample, are available for this benefit on a quarterly basis as far back as November 1995. However, figures based on 100 per cent. data (and therefore more accurate) are available for August 1996, May 1998, and May 1999.
Disability Living Allowance: Figures at Parliamentary Constituency level, based on a 5 per cent. sample, are available for this benefit on a quarterly basis as far back as August 1992. However, figures based on 100 per cent. data (and therefore again more accurate) are available for May 1998, and May 1999.
Incapacity Benefit: Figures are not normally published for this benefit at Parliamentary Constituency level, although they are available on request depending on sample sizes.
25 May 2000 : Column: 622W
Client Group Analysis of the Working Age: Figures on the number of people of working age claiming a key Social Security Benefit by Parliamentary Constituency, are available on request relating to May 1999 or August 1999. November 1999 figures will become available from 29 June 2000.
No information is available at Parliamentary Constituency level for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Retirement Pensions, Occupational Pensions, Lifetime Labour Market Database, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Invalid Care Allowance, Child Benefit, and War Pensions. It is hoped however, that information at Parliamentary Constituency level will become available for Child Benefit and War Pensions within the next three months.
Note:
Cases are allocated to each Parliamentary Constituency by matching the postcode against the relevant version of the Postcode Directory for the relevant year. Constituency boundaries are represented as at May 1997.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Victim Support
Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to improve the position of victims in the criminal justice system. [124313]
Mr. Straw: I shall be announcing tomorrow my plans to give victims and their relatives a greater say in the criminal justice process.
Stafford Prison
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the 1999 Annual report of the Board of Visitors of HM Prison Stafford, with particular regard to the issue of health care. [123098]
Mr. Boateng: Since the Board of Visitors' report was submitted, significant improvements have been made in the standard of health care at Stafford prison. In a recent audit, standards were rated satisfactory. A health needs assessment is currently being conducted by the prison in partnership with the Stafford Health Authority. That assessment will form the basis for developing a health improvement programme.
I am arranging for a copy of my full reply to the report to be placed in the Library.
Child Pornography
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women have been convicted and imprisoned for possession of child pornography in England and Wales during the last 12 months. [123377]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The available information, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, is given in the table.
25 May 2000 : Column: 623W
| Total convicted | Total given immediate custody (8) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Take, make, distribute, show, possess with intent to distribute or show, publish any advertisement conveying the distribution of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children (9) | |||
| 1998 | |||
| M | 82 | 37 | |
| F | 0 | 1 | |
| 1999 (7) | |||
| M | 130 | 55 | |
| F | 3 | 1 | |
| Possession of an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child (10) | |||
| 1998 | |||
| M | 104 | 32 | |
| F | 1 | -- | |
| 1999 (7) | |||
| M | 95 | 23 | |
| F | 2 | -- | |
(7) Provisional
(8) Persons sentenced at the Crown Court may have been convicted in an earlier year at the magistrates' court
(9) Protection of Children Act 1978 sections 1 and 6 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 84
(10) Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 160 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, sections 84(4) and 86(1)
Cyclists (Fixed Penalties)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cyclists have been fined for riding on pavements since the introduction of the fixed penalty. [123381]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Information on the new fixed penalty offences introduced on 1 August 1999 is not yet available, nor is information on court imposed fines since that date.
Police forces have been asked to monitor the new fixed penalty provisions and it is hoped to publish the figures later in the year.
Working Time Directive
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Working Time Directive upon fire authorities dependent upon retained firemen; and if he will make a statement. [123298]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Under the Central Local Partnership, the Home Office works closely with the Local Government Association's Fire Service Expenditure Forecasting Group to assess future resource demands. The Group has estimated the cost to the fire service in England of the new arrangements for paid annual leave for retained firefighters, agreed in the light of the Working Time Directive, as £3-£4 million a year, with back pay costs of up to £9 million.
25 May 2000 : Column: 624W
Green Transport
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the key buildings for which his Department (a) submitted and (b) did not submit green transport plans by March. [122621]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 18 May 2000]: Travel Plans covering the following key buildings have been completed:
- Abell House, London
Advance House, Croydon
Apollo House, Croydon
Aragon Court, Peterborough
Becket House, London
Cleland House, London
Clive House, London
Forensic Science Laboratory, Chepstow
Forensic Science Laboratory, Chorley
Forensic Science Laboratory, Huntingdon
Forensic Science Laboratory, Lambeth
Forensic Science Laboratory, Wetherby
Glasgow Passport Office
Government Buildings, Sandridge
Grenadier House, London
Hampton House, Belfast
The Hawkhills, Easingwold
Horseferry House, London
- India Buildings, Liverpool
Langhurst House, Horsham
Litherland House, Bootle
Lunar House, Croydon
National Police Training, Ashford
National Police Training, Bramshill
National Police Training, Bruche
National Police Training, Cwmbran
National Police Training, Durham
National Police Training, Harrogate
National Police Training, Leicester
National Police Training, Loughborough
National Police Training, Ryton
Norfolk House, Birmingham
Olympia House, Newport
Priory House, Birmingham
Queen Anne's Gate, London
Quest House, Croydon
Status Park, Hayes
- Whitgift Centre Blocks B, D and E, Croydon.
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