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Road Accidents
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the legislation governing how long after a road accident a private prosecution can be made; and if he will make a statement on the present limitation. [126186]
Mr. Charles Clarke: There are no statutory limitations on the period within which proceedings may be instituted for indictable offences (including those triable either way); but under section 127 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, proceedings for summary offences must be commenced within six months of the day when the offence was committed, except where there is specific statutory provision for a different time limit to apply to a particular offence. The summary offences in the Road Traffic Act 1988 which are most commonly charged following a road accident, such as careless driving or driving with excess alcohol (sections 3 and 5 respectively), are covered by the general limit in section 127. The position is the same whether the prosecutor is the Crown Prosecution Service (or other public authority) or a private individual.
The purpose of these time limits is to ensure that summary offences are charged and tried as soon as reasonably possible after their alleged commission, so that the recollection of witnesses is still reasonably clear, and so that there is no unnecessary delay in the disposal by magistrates' courts of the summary offences brought before them.
Data Protection
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to the Data Protection Commissioner about the confidentiality of medical patient records under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. [126086]
The Data Protection Commissioner is fully independent of the Government. In carrying out her functions, she takes advice from no Minister. Rather, it is she who gives advice to the Government on data protection matters.
Individuals' medical records are covered by the Data Protection Act 1998. The requirements of the 1998 Act, including the Data Protection principles, apply to them as to any other personal data. It will be for the Commissioner to give any advice that might be needed about the particular implications of the 1998 Act given the confidential nature of medical records.
Deportations
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were deported from the UK in each of the last three years. [125763]
Mrs. Roche: The numbers of people removed or departing voluntarily from the United Kingdom under port, illegal entry or deportation procedures between 1997 and 1999 are shown in the table. Data for 1999 are provisional.
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| 1997 | 1998 | 1999(22) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers refused entry and removed | 24,540 | 27,600 | 31,300 |
| Removals and voluntary departures under illegal entry procedures(21) | 4,540 | 5,580 | 5,220 |
| Removals and voluntary departures under deportation procedures(21) | 2,070 | 1,720 | (21)1,170 |
| Total | 31,140 | 34,900 | (21)37,680 |
(20) Includes only those voluntary departures taking place after the initiation of such action.
(21) Revised data
(22) 1999 data are provisional
Notes:
Data are rounded to 10.
Performance Indicators
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on how each of the agencies and non-departmental bodies relating to his Department performed against their key performance indicators in (a) the last year and (b) the previous two years. [125330]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 12 June 2000]: My Department has four executive agencies and 11 executive non-departmental public bodies which receive public funds. Each of these bodies publishes an annual report and accounts from which more details can be obtained. A summary table showing how each has performed in the years requested has been placed in the Library. Results for 1999-2000 are still subject to final audit.
Penalty Clauses
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 May 2000, Official Report, columns 168-69W, on penalty clauses, what (a) was the financial compensation and (b) were the damages which were recovered from the private sector companies listed. [125364]
Mr. Straw: Further to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 17 May 2000, Official Report, columns 168-69W, on the amount of financial compensation and damages recovered from private sector companies previously listed, the information requested is given in the table.
| Company | Financial compensation | Damages |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound ECD | 663,240 | 155,152 |
| Medomsley Training Services Ltd. | 10,049 | 35,579 |
| Premier Monitoring Services Ltd. | 199,500 | -- |
| GSSC of Europe Ltd. | 38,500 | -- |
| Securicor Custodial Services Ltd. | 84,000 | -- |
| Siemens | -- | 380 |
Visas (China)
Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning relaxing the visa requirements for citizens of the People's Republic of China who wish to holiday in the UK. [125430]
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Mrs. Roche: I have received one representation this year concerning relaxation of the visa requirements for citizens of the People's Republic of China who wish to visit the United Kingdom.
Queen's Golden Jubilee
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding a national celebration to mark the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. [126874]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Proposals and suggestions have been received from a number of cultural, sporting and commercial organisations and members of the public. Planning for the celebration of Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee is, however, at a very early stage. A programme of celebrations will be announced in due course.
Sunday Observance Act
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it his policy to seek to disapply the provisions of the Sunday Observance Act 1780 in respect of 31 December 2000. [126803]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Yes. On 17 January this year, we laid before Parliament the draft Deregulation (Sunday Dancing and Licensing) Order 2000 which would remove the prohibition in the Sunday Observance Act 1780 on charging for public dances on Sundays. The Deregulation Committees of both Houses have indicated their readiness, subject to certain changes being made, to recommend approval of the Order. We have considered their comments carefully and have invited further comments from the Committees on changes to the proposals before formally re-laying the Order. We hope that the Order will be in force before 31 December 2000, which is a Sunday.
City Status Applications
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the successful applications for city status to celebrate the Millennium. [126575]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: No date has yet been set for the announcement of the new city. 39 applications have been received for the Millennium grant of city status from towns in the United Kingdom. Each application is being considered on its individual merits and a recommendation will be made to Her Majesty The Queen in due course on which town should be honoured.
Football Hooligans
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received on the behaviour of ticketless English fans in Eindhoven. [126664]
Mr. Straw: The behaviour of all England fans visiting Eindhoven for the England v Portugal match was widely praised, not least by the city mayor and local police commander.
Departmental Reviews
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the reviews
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undertaken by his Department and the date those reviews were completed since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [126554]
Mr. Straw: Since 1997, the Home Office has undertaken and completed a large number of reviews and reports, details of which are not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. However, examples of the range of reviews are; the Prisons-Probation review (August 1998); reviews of financial regulations in the Crown dependencies (November 1998); and, a review of the treatment of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses (June 1998). Copies of these reports have been previously placed in the Library.
A number of reviews have also been carried out by the Police, Prisons, Probation and Fire Services Inspectorates.
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