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On-the-spot Fines
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what external advice he has received concerning the compatibility of on-the-spot fines imposed by police with the European Convention on Human Rights; [129240]
- (2) what consultations he has carried out regarding the imposition of on-the-spot fines by the police; and if he will list the bodies he has consulted. [129242]
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Mr. Charles Clarke: As I made clear in my reply to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and the Weald, (Miss Widdecombe) on 10 July 2000, Official Report, columns 432-33W, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed a number of ideas for tackling disorderly and anti-social behaviour at his meeting with chief officers of police on 3 July. These included the possibility of on-the-spot fines or fixed penalties. The purpose of the meeting was to open up discussion and to seek the views of chief officers on the options which should be further considered rather than to present ready-made solutions.
The chief officers present broadly welcomed the idea of extending the fixed penalty system to a wider range of offences and I have asked my officials and the Association of Chief Police Officers to consider this option, and others, in the coming weeks.
Any new measures would, of course, have to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Security Service
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if all processing of personal data by the Security Service is covered by a certificate under section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998. [129613]
Mr. Straw: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 5 July 2000, Official Report, column 235W.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements there are for the inspection of hostels used by asylum seekers under the dispersal programme. [129940]
Mrs. Roche: There is a twin track approach to the inspection of accommodation. First of all, officials in the National Asylum Support Service have signed a Service Level Agreement with the Property Advisors to the Civil Estate (PACE) part of the Office of Government Commerce. PACE officials are responsible for inspecting properties provided by accommodation providers and ensuring that housing conditions comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, a Performance Monitoring Inspections Team has been established to carry out inspections in conjunction with PACE to ensure that the providers of accommodation comply fully with the contract in terms of effective housing management and access to support services.
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what environmental and health and safety legislation applies to hostels used by asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the ways in which such legislation differs from that applying to houses in multiple occupation. [129939]
Mrs. Roche: All property must meet the requirements of the Housing Act 1985 or Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 and meet all regulatory requirements, including environmental and health and safety obligations, whether under law or regulations issued by any public or local authority and any statutory or non statutory organisation or body.
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The provider is obliged through contract and specification to ensure that all necessary planning permission has been granted by the relevant authority. Where a house in multiple occupation scheme is in place the landlord must comply with the terms of the registration with the local authority.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department plans to take responsibility for all asylum seekers who have not yet received a final decision but who are currently supported by local authorities; and when the backlog of existing cases will be cleared. [130272]
Mrs. Roche: We have no plans at present to assume responsibility for the support of asylum seekers who have not received a final decision on their application and who are currently supported by local authorities.
We are on course to make a substantial reduction in the backlog of asylum applications by April 2001.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the National Asylum Support Service, in commissioning accommodation for asylum seekers, is commissioning within grant levels set for local authorities. [130273]
Mrs. Roche: Contractual negotiations between the National Asylum Support Service and potential providers of accommodation to asylum seekers are commercially confidential.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many port-of-entry applicants the National Asylum Support Service has accepted responsibility to support since 1 April; and how many in-country applicants there have been (a) nationally and (b) in London boroughs since 1 April. [130270]
Mrs. Roche: The National Asylum Support Services (NASS) assumed responsibility for the support of those seeking asylum at ports of entry with effect from 3 April. From the same date they also assumed responsibility for those making in-country applications for asylum in Scotland and Northern Ireland. On 7 April NASS assumed responsibility for in-country applicants who made their application for asylum in Kent. Between 3 April and 10 July NASS has accepted responsibility for the support of 4,353 asylum seekers. These include all those who are eligible to receive support from NASS. It is not possible to break the figure down to show the number of port applicants receiving support. Since 1 April there have been 8,400 applications for asylum made in-country. Separate figures to show the number of applicants living in London boroughs are not available.
Grants
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the beneficiaries of (a) community support grant and (b) family support grant in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2000-01, giving the sums of money paid in each grant. [129525]
Mr. Boateng [holding answer 7 July 2000]: The Family Support Grant is a programme of funding for voluntary organisations which first became available in
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1998 when it was announced that £7 million would be made available over three years. The first £1 million of awards for 1999-2000 were announced in June 1999 and a further £3 million was announced in April 2000 for 2000-01. Additionally, it was agreed that the new National Family and Parenting Institute would receive £247,000 from the Home Office as part of a "joined up" funding package from five other Departments and the Welsh Assembly totalling £2 million over the three years. 1999-2002 Parentline Plus would receive £310,000 for each of the financial years in question in order to develop and expand the services already provided to parents by introducing a national freephone telephone helpline for parents.
Funding under the open competition in both bidding rounds has gone to a range of national and local organisations across the country under three strands to help support infrastructure organisations and to promote innovative work with families. Each year a grant is made available to fund projects with a specific theme aimed at plugging gap areas in provision. In 1999 the theme was working with boys, young men and fathers. This year projects working on the parenting of teenagers have been funded.
Grants paid out in the year April 1999-2000 are available for up to three years and for 2000-01 for up to two years. Grants given to voluntary organisation projects are listed; figures are given per project for both 1999-2000 and 2000-01 where applicable.
| Voluntary organisations | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 |
|---|---|---|
| National Council of One Parent Families | 39,511 | 29,645 |
| Contact A Family | 31,500 | 35,000 |
| Parent Network (two projects) | 90,000 | 50,000 |
| Parenting Education and Support Forum (two projects) | 90,000 | 99,000 |
| Family Policy Studies Centre | 43,169 | 43,953 |
| National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations | 38,500 | 35,000 |
| After Adoption | 38,831 | 43,153 |
| Trust for the Study of Adolescence | 32,662 | 43,837 |
| REU | 44,983 | 0 |
| Baby Naming Society | 10,000 | 0 |
| Fathers Direct | 45,000 | 50,000 |
| CEDC | 22,700 | 2,500 |
| Family Nurturing Network | 4,524 | 2,591 |
| Parents in Partnership Parent Infant Network | 36,148 | 35,137 |
| YMCA England | 43,997 | 48,630 |
| Newpin | 45,000 | 50,000 |
| Family Support Unit--East Birmingham | 7,288 | 11,409 |
| The Warren | 31,360 | 33,566 |
| National Children's Centre | 44,200 | 45,775 |
| National Youth Agency | 30,000 | 0 |
| Youthnet | 30,511 | 0 |
| Thomas Coram Foundation | 30,000 | 50,000 |
| Working with Men | 44,985 | 48,270 |
| Ormiston Children and Families Trust | 20,100 | 23,227 |
| National Children's Bureau | 12,150 | 8,925 |
| Black Development Agency | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Divert Trust | 28,307 | 32,689 |
| Gingerbread | 10,000 | 20,000 |
| Families Need Fathers | 15,000 | 0 |
| Norwood Ravenswood | 8,489 | 0 |
| One plus One (one project jointly funded with the Department of Health, the other with the Lord Chancellor's Department) | 18,500 | 17,000 |
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| Voluntary organisations | 2000-01 |
|---|---|
| National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations | 20,000 |
| Child Psychotherapy Trust | 15,176 |
| Working with Men | 22,926 |
| National Council for One Parent Families | 30,000 |
| REU (two projects) | 99,585 |
| Fathers Direct | 50,000 |
| Parenting Education and Support Forum | 14,000 |
| Family Policy Studies Centre | 38,786 |
| Family Rights Group | 34,284 |
| Peers Early Education Partnership | 49,415 |
| Newham Bengali Community | 50,000 |
| National Association of Child Contact Centres | 50,000 |
| Parents in Partnership Parent Infant Network | 47,227 |
| Family Welfare Association | 49,040 |
| Disability, Pregnancy and Parenthood International | 49,739 |
| Positive Parenting Publications | 50,000 |
| Family Planning Association | 50,000 |
| Health and Advocacy Counselling Services for Turkish and Kurdish Speaking Communities | 29,551 |
| Crime Concern/Daycare Trust | 44,500 |
| Divert Trust (two projects) | 92,364 |
| Leeds Animation Workshop | 50,000 |
| Norwood Ravenswood | 20,000 |
| Community Education and Development Centre | 34,000 |
| Ormiston Children and Families Trust | 2,453 |
| RPS Rainer | 50,000 |
| YMCA England--Parent Education and Support Unit | 50,000 |
| Trust for the Study of Adolescence (two projects) | 97,995 |
| Parentline Plus services to adolescents project | 45,000 |
| Young Voice | 35,000 |
| Barnardos Byker Sands Family Centre | 49,912 |
| After Adoption | 48,899 |
| NFPI befriending project | 50,000 |
| One plus One befriending project | 50,000 |
Note:
The list does not include grants which are planned but have not yet been approved by Ministers or offered.
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