Date Rape Drugs
Mr. Ben Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he plans to make a statement on his policy on Gammahydroxybutyrate following the publication of the Metropolitan police report on drug-assisted rape on 21 June; [127296]
(2) what assessment he has made of the extent to which GHB is used as a date rape drug by groups of males acting in collaboration; [127201]
(3) what recent reports he has received on the use of drugs in date rape cases; [127200]
(4) what recent assessment he has made of the extent of use of (a) Rohypnol and (b) GHB as date rape drugs. [127203]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Metropolitan police research initiative published on 21 June is the only recent report I have received on the use of drugs in rape cases. The evidence in respect of the use of Gammahydroxybutyrate and Rohypnol and its findings will be reported to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, the statutory body the Government rely on for providing expert advice on drug misuse matters.
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 390W
European Refugee Fund
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make statement on his policy towards the European Refugee Fund. [127194]
Mrs. Roche:
The Government's policy concerning the European Refugee Fund is set out in the Home Office Explanatory Memorandum of 28 February, copies of which were deposited in the Library. Since the Explanatory Memorandum, the United Kingdom has opted in to this proposal under the terms of our protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam.
Police Salaries
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will reinstate the rent allowance element of serving police officers' salary packages; and if he will make a statement; [127359]
(2) what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the rent allowance element of salary packages on the recruitment and retention of police officers; [127357]
(3) what the average reduction is in serving police officers' remuneration following the withdrawal of the rent allowance element of salary packages. [127358]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
No assessment has been made of the withdrawal of rent or housing allowances on the recruitment and retention of officers. Outside the Metropolitan Police Service, very few forces report a recruitment problem. Average total wastage in the police service in 1998-99 was seven per cent., which is low by standards outside the police service.
Rent allowance was replaced by housing allowance on 1 April 1990, although some officers still receive transitional rent allowance. Following the recommendations of the Sheehy Inquiry, housing allowance was abolished for new recruits and frozen for serving officers from 1 September 1994, because police officers were no longer required to live in a particular location. Entitlement to provided accommodation also ceased and the structure of starting salaries changed.
Under the Police Act 1996, the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) considers issues relating to police pay and allowances. There are no plans to reinstate rent or housing allowances but the PNB has recommended an increase in London Allowance of £3,327, from 1 July 2000, for those officers appointed on or after 1 September 1994 and not in receipt of housing allowance. On 23 June my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced that he has accepted this recommendation.
It is not possible to provide a meaningful average reduction in serving police officers' remuneration following the abolition of housing allowance. Allowances paid vary between rank and force. The tables show the rates payable for housing allowance and transitional rent allowance.
Maximum limits of transitional rent allowance--police forces in England and Wales
Rates frozen from 1 April 1990
£ per annum
| Federated Ranks(19) | Superintendents and Chief Superintendents | Assistant and Deputy Chief Constables | Chief Constables
|
|---|
| Avon and Somerset | 3,164.04 | 3,670.29 | 4,271.45 | 4,935.90
|
| Bedfordshire | 3,917.76 | 4,545.07 | 5,271.49 | 6,115.67
|
| Cambridgeshire | 3,191.69 | 3,702.36 | 4,294.74 | 4,981.90
|
| Cheshire | 4,039.36 | 4,685.66 | 5,435.37 | 6,305.03
|
| Cleveland | 3,275.02 | 3,799.01 | 4,406.86 | 5,111.96
|
| Cumbria | 2,869.20 | 3,328.32 | 3,860.76 | 4,478.52
|
| Derbyshire | 4,816.00 | 5,586.00 | 6,480.00 | 7,516.00
|
| Devon and Cornwall | 4,022.00 | 4,666.00 | 5,412.00 | 6,278.00
|
| Dorset | 3,476.43 | 4,032.66 | 4,677.88 | 5,426.34
|
| Durham | 2,667.00 | 3,093.72 | 3,588.72 | 4,162.92
|
| Dyfed-Powys | 2,322.53 | 2,694.13 | 3,125.19 | 3,625.22
|
| Essex | 4,867.63 | 5,646.45 | 6,549.88 | 7,597.86
|
| Gloucestershire | 4,130.64 | 4,791.24 | 5,557.80 | 6,447.12
|
| Greater Manchester | 3,571.00 | 4,143.00 | 4,821.00 | 5,571.00
|
| Gwent | 3,651.00 | 4,235.16 | 4,912.80 | 5,698.92
|
| Hampshire | 4,329.00 | 5,052.00 | 5,825.00 | 6,757.00
|
| Hertfordshire | 4,269.99 | 4,953.18 | 5,745.69 | 6,665.00
|
| Humberside | 3,752.44 | 4,352.90 | 5,049.34 | 5,856.90
|
| Kent | 4,438.79 | 5,149.00 | 5,972.84 | 6,928.49
|
| Lancashire | 3,145.20 | 3,648.43 | 4,246.02 | 4,906.51
|
| Leicestershire | 3,350.00 | 3,886.00 | 4,508.00 | 5,229.00
|
| Lincolnshire | 3,162.87 | 3,668.88 | 4,256.28 | 4,937.05
|
| Merseyside | 3,239.00 | 3,759.00 | 4,358.00 | 5,054.00
|
| Norfolk | 3,769.56 | 4,373.13 | 5,072.17 | 5,884.40
|
| Northamptonshire | 3,956.18 | 4,588.70 | 5,322.94 | 6,175.08
|
| Northumbria | 2,425.75 | 2,814.43 | 3,264.54 | 3,786.87
|
| North Wales | 3,153.00 | 3,657.00 | 4,242.00 | 4,921.00
|
| North Yorkshire | 3,212.43 | 3,726.53 | 4,322.27 | 5,013.74
|
| Nottinghamshire | 3,194.65 | 3,705.79 | 4,298.76 | 4,986.61
|
| South Wales | 3,814.30 | 4,424.59 | 5,132.52 | 5,953.73
|
| South Yorkshire | 3,134.69 | 3,636.53 | 4,218.19 | 4,893.23
|
| Staffordshire | 3,127.70 | 3,628.56 | 4,222.44 | 4,879.32
|
| Suffolk | 4,220.04 | 4,895.24 | 5,678.48 | 6,587.04
|
| Surrey | 3,911.52 | 4,537.32 | 5,280.48 | 6,101.88
|
| Sussex | 3,703.00 | 4,295.00 | 4,982.00 | 5,779.00
|
| Thames Valley | 4,687.18 | 5,437.34 | 6,306.43 | 7,316.38
|
| Warwickshire | 4,199.45 | 4,871.35 | 5,650.77 | 6,554.89
|
| West Mercia | 3,962.34 | 4,996.31 | 5,331.72 | 6,184.80
|
| West Midlands | 3,410.42 | 3,956.09 | 4,589.06 | 5,323.31
|
| West Yorkshire | 3,540.68 | 4,106.95 | 4,764.12 | 5,526.41
|
| Wiltshire | 4,589.88 | 5,324.16 | 6,176.04 | 7,164.24
|
(19) Constable to Chief Inspector
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 391W
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 391W
Maximum limits of transitional rent allowance--police forces in England and Wales
Rates frozen from 1 April 1990
£ per annum
| Federated Ranks(20) | Superintendents and Chief Superintendents | Deputy Assistant Commissioner and Commander | Deputy and Assistant Commissioner
|
|---|
| Metropolitan | 5,863.65 | 6,802.00 | 7,890.00 | 9,153.00
|
| City of London | 5,864.00 | 6,802.00 | 7,890.00 | 9,153.00
|
(20) Constable to Chief Inspector
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 391W
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 391W
Standard rate housing allowance--police forces in England and Wales
As at 1 April 1994 and frozen from 1 September 1994
£ per annum
| Federated Ranks(21) | Superintendents | Assistant Chief Constables | Chief Constables
|
|---|
| Avon and Somerset | 2,374.80 | 2,754.76 | 3,206.04 | 3,704.64
|
| Bedfordshire | 2,876.88 | 3,337.20 | 3,883.80 | 4,487.93
|
| Cambridgeshire | 2,319.17 | 2,674.00 | 3,186.17 | 3,633.75
|
| Cheshire | 2,952.43 | 3,424.74 | 3,985.70 | 4,605.69
|
| Cleveland | 2,375.36 | 3,676.72 | 3,215.35 | 4,997.79
|
| Cumbria | 2,425.36 | 2,855.17 | 3,375.11 | 3,756.72
|
| Derbyshire | 3,667.20 | 4,254.00 | 4,934.64 | 5,724.24
|
| Devon and Cornwall | 3,144.36 | 3,647.52 | 4,244.76 | 4,905.12
|
| Dorset | 2,582.01 | 2,995.13 | 3,485.71 | 4,027.93
|
| Durham | 2,072.04 | 2,403.60 | 2,797.20 | 3,232.32
|
| Dyfed-Powys | 2,161.34 | 2,507.15 | 2,917.79 | 3,371.67
|
| Essex | 4,275.60 | 4,867.56 | 6,549.84 | 7,543.68
|
| Gloucestershire | 3,190.40 | 3,700.86 | 4,307.04 | 4,977.02
|
| Greater Manchester | 2,371.98 | 2,751.06 | 3,202.09 | 3,700.58
|
| Gwent | 3,006.52 | 3,487.56 | 4,045.57 | 4,692.86
|
| Hampshire | 3,882.00 | 4,503.12 | 5,223.72 | 6,059.40
|
| Hertfordshire | 3,379.96 | 3,920.75 | 4,562.95 | 5,272.74
|
| Humberside | 2,860.24 | 3,317.88 | 3,861.34 | 4,461.92
|
| Kent | 3,865.85 | 4,484.54 | 5,219.33 | 6,030.99
|
| Lancashire | 2,096.40 | 2,431.92 | 2,830.14 | 3,270.38
|
| Leicestershire | 2,311.00 | 3,477.11 | 4,112.00 | 4,770.00
|
| Lincolnshire | 2,733.73 | 3,215.18 | 375.77 | 4,372.17
|
| Merseyside | 2,133.00 | 2,474.00 | 2,880.00 | 3,328.00
|
| Norfolk | 3,025.67 | 3,510.82 | 4,092.71 | 4,729.35
|
| Northamptonshire | 3,187.90 | 3,697.96 | 4,303.66 | 4,973.12
|
| Northumbria | 1,777.66 | 2,062.10 | 2,399.85 | 2,773.16
|
| North Wales | 2,361.00 | 2,739.00 | 3,187.00 | 3,683.00
|
| North Yorkshire | 2,510.30 | 2,911.96 | 3,388.92 | 3,916.08
|
| Nottinghamshire | 2,632.80 | 3,054.00 | 3,554.28 | 4,197.16
|
| South Wales | 3,535.10 | 4,100.73 | 4,772.38 | 5,514.76
|
| South Yorkshire | 2,344.89 | 2,719.97 | 3,165.47 | 3,657.92
|
| Staffordshire | 2,264.08 | 2,626.33 | 3,056.51 | 3,531.96
|
| Suffolk | 3,735.72 | 4,329.96 | 5,022.72 | 5,826.36
|
| Surrey | 3,438.24 | 3,988.32 | 4,641.60 | 5,357.28
|
| Sussex | 2,626.56 | 3,047.04 | 3,545.88 | 4,097.40
|
| Thames Valley | 4,022.46 | 4,666.04 | 5,430.32 | 6,275.05
|
| Warwickshire | 3,643.33 | 4,226.25 | 4,918.48 | 5,683.59
|
| West Mercia | 3,176.91 | 3,685.01 | 4,288.95 | 4,955.25
|
| West Midlands | 2,950.00 | 3,423.15 | 3,983.84 | 4,603.54
|
| West Yorkshire | 2,691.55 | 3,122.19 | 3,633.55 | 4,198.26
|
| Wiltshire | 3,769.44 | 4,372.44 | 5,088.60 | 5,880.24
|
(21) Constable to Chief Inspector
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 393W
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 393W
Standard rate housing allowance--police forces in England and Wales
As at 1 April 1994 and frozen from 1 September 1994
£ per annum
| Federated Ranks(22) | Superintendents | Commander | Assistant Commissioner
|
|---|
| Metropolitan | 5,126.70 | 5,947.91 | 6,921.06 | 7,997.65
|
| City of London | 5,095.93 | 5,911.28 | 6,879.51 | 7,949.65
|
(22) Constable to Chief Inspector
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 393W
26 Jun 2000 : Column: 393W
