| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Security Service Files
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the weeding of Security Service files, indicating the numbers and categories of records deleted over the last two years; and if he will make a statement with respect to future weeding. [132809]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I refer to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to my hon. Friends the Members for City of Chester (Ms Russell) and for Reading, East (Jane Griffiths) respectively, on 29 July 1998, Official Report, columns 251-54W and 3 February 1999, Official Report, columns 619-20W. Some 130,000 records have been destroyed since my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's earlier statement. The Security Service disposes of those old files in its archive which are no longer relevant to its work and which do not merit retention on historical grounds. The process of review for destruction is carried out with strict adherence to the criteria endorsed by the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on Public Records. Moreover, the Public Record Office has routinely and regularly spot-checked a random selection of the records put aside for destruction and will continue to do so.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce an amendment to the Freedom of Information Bill in order to amend section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998. [132808]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have no current plans to introduce such an amendment.
28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1174W
Electronic Communications Act 2000
Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what orders he (a) has made and (b) intends to make using section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [133381]
Mr. Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, for the Cabinet Office today.
Ministerial Duties
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish the Home Office ministerial duty roster for the summer adjournment with a list of which Ministers are on duty between which dates; [133228]
- (2) between which dates he and each of his Ministers will not be performing official duties during the summer adjournment. [133244]
Mr. Straw: It is not normal practice of Government to publish the daily ministerial duty roster. This Department will ensure that it has sufficient cover through the summer recess in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what visits overseas on official business he and each of his Ministers will be undertaking during the Summer adjournment; on what dates; to which countries; and whom they will be meeting. [133229]
Mr. Straw: Over the next five months to the end of the year, the Minister of State, Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), and I plan to attend meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, in line with arrangements made by the French Presidency. Meetings are currently planned for 27-29 July; 28 September; 17 October and 30 November-1 December.
I am also planning to make an official visit to India and Bangladesh in September during which I will meet Indian and Bangladeshi Ministers and officials. No other Ministers have any overseas visits fixed at this time.
Criminal Injuries Compensation
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned expenditure on criminal injuries compensation in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133401]
Mr. Straw: Planned spending on criminal injuries compensation 2000-01 is £193 million. I shall be considering the spending review settlement over the summer and making detailed plans for future years in due course.
Fire and Emergency Planning
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned spending on fire and emergency planning in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133403]
28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1175W
Mr. Straw: The fire service share of total standard spending for England following the spending review settlement is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 1,393.4 |
| 2001-02 | 1,462.5 |
| 2002-03 | 1,521 |
| 2003-04 | 1,582.6 |
Fire service revenue funding for Wales is a devolved matter.
Details of the provision of fire credit approvals were given in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Mr. Cawsey) on 26 July 2000, Official Report, column 699W.
Planned central Home Office spending on fire and emergency planning in 2000-01 is £47 million. I shall be considering the spending review settlement over the summer and making detailed plans for future years in due course.
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement assessing the effectiveness of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [133700]
Mr. Boateng: A Home Office research study, "Stalking: An Evaluation of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997," will be published on 1 August.
Probation
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned expenditure on probation in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133400]
Mr. Straw: Planned spending on probation in 2000-01 is £555 million.
On 19 July, I announced that the spending review settlement provides an additional £240million/ £380 million/£470 million for prisons and probation. This will increase capacity, boost the "What Works" programme to reduce offending, and support the modernisation of the probation service. We have produced indicative figures which show that the Probation Service funding could increase by up to £97 million/
28 Jul 2000 : Column: 1176W
£139 million/£170 million in the three years starting in 2001-02. These figures are provisional and may be subject to change. I shall be considering the spending review settlement over the summer and making detailed plans for future years in due course.
Criminal Policy
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned spending on criminal policy in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133399]
Mr. Straw: Planned Home Office spending on criminal policy (excluding probation) in 2000-01 is £277 million. I shall be considering the spending review settlement over the summer and making detailed plans for future years in due course. As I announced to the House on 19 July, the settlement also introduces a joint criminal justice system reserve of £100 million/£200 million/£225 million which I will manage with the Lord Chancellor and Attorney-General.
Constitutional and Community Directorate
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned spending on the Constitutional and Community Directorate in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133398]
Mr. Straw: Planned spending on the Constitutional and Community Directorate in 2000-01 is £57 million. I shall be considering the spending review settlement over the summer and making detailed plans for future years in due course.
Forensic Science Service
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of planned spending on the Forensic Science Service in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) 2003-04. [133397]
Mr. Straw: The Forensic Science Service was established as a trading fund on 1 April 1999 by the Forensic Science Service Trading Fund Order 1998. As a trading fund it operates off-Vote and uses its trading receipts to meet outgoings. However, as allowed by the Government Trading Funds Act 1973, provision has been made in the Supply Estimates to make a repayable loan of £3 million to the Forensic Science Service in 2000-01. There are no further loans or subsidies to the Forensic Science Service planned in the years 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04.