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Departmental Employees (Disabled People)
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102046]
Mr. Chris Smith: Four per cent. of my Department's workforce have declared themselves as having a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. My Department has taken a number of steps to encourage the employment of disabled people. All buildings occupied by DCMS staff are accessible to people with disabilities; all disabled job applicants who meet the necessary criteria are offered an interview; flexible working is available; guidance on working with disabled people has recently been issued to all staff; and hearing induction loops will shortly be installed in meeting rooms.
Television Licences (Over-75s)
Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if pensioners aged over 75 years who have already paid for a television licence will get a full refund of the unused part when the policy of free television licences for those aged over 75 years is implemented. [102123]
Janet Anderson: The Government anticipate that the scheme will incorporate arrangements for refunds in respect of unexpired licences. We intend to announce shortly full details of how the scheme will operate.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Probation Service
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to change the title of probation officers; and if he will make a statement; [102664]
- (2) what the reasons were for changing the name of the Probation Service; and if he will make a statement; [102663]
(3) if he will list the organisations and individuals consulted on the name change of the Probation Service, and place their responses in the Library; [102666]
(4) if he will list the options considered for the new name of the Probation Service; [102665]
(5) if the Government evaluated the name, community justice service, as a replacement for the Probation Service. [102668]
Mr. Boateng: This Government are determined that punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in the community should be effective. We have embarked upon a major programme of modernisation that includes significant investment in programmes that are shown to work in reducing reoffending and revised National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders in the Community.
Bringing together the 54 probation services in England and Wales into a unified service organised in 42 areas sharing police and Crown Prosecution Service boundaries,
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as we shall do through the Crime and Public Protection Bill, is another major part of that modernisation programme. It is right that the name of the new service should reflect its main purpose--punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in order to reduce reoffending and protect the public. The Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service is, therefore, accurate and appropriate.
The consultation paper "Joining Forces to Protect the Public" invited suggestions for the name of a unified service. A list of the suggestions received is in the second list. Community Justice Service was one of those suggestions. Details of those who were sent copies of the consultation paper (excluding in response to requests for it from members of the public) are in the first list. It would not be right to make the responses to the consultation paper public as some of these were submitted in confidence.
We are currently considering new titles for probation officers and other staff. Changes will be made in the Crime and Public Protection Bill.
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Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the restrictions on who can be employed in probation work; and if he will make a statement. [102667]
Mr. Boateng:
At present there are no centrally laid down restrictions on who can be employed in probation work. This is a matter for individual probation areas and I have no plans to introduce any restrictions on employment in the forthcoming legislation.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total amount spent on prison education services in each Prison Service establishment and in total in (a) 1999 to date, (b) 1998, (c) 1997 and (d) 1992; and if he will make a statement; [102660]
Mr. Boateng:
Information is not available in the form requested. The tables set out actual annual expenditure for all prison establishments and for young offender institutions (including remand centres) on certain separately identifiable areas of education spend covering payments to education service providers and purchase of
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education materials divided by the average population for each prison in that year. These cover the years 1999-2000 (to 31 October), 1998-99, and 1997-98. Information for 1992-93 is not readily available. Information on education costs at private sector prisons is also not readily available.
Organisations and persons sent copies of "Joining Forces to Protect the Public"
Association of Chief Officers of Probation
Association of Chief Police Officers
Central Probation Council
Chief Constables
Chief Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrates
Council of Circuit Judges
Government Officers for the Regions
HM Inspectorate of Probation
Judicial Studies Board
Justices' Clerks' Society
Lord Chief Justice
Magistrates' Association
Magistrates' Courts' Committees
NACRO
National Association of Probation Officers
Other Government Departments
Parliament
Probation Committees
Probation Managers' Association
Probation Services
The Press
UNISON
Names suggested for a unified service
Bureau of Community Punishment
Community Corrections and Protection Service
Community Corrections Service
Community Justice Agency
Community Justice Enforcement Agency
Community Justice Enforcement Service/Agency
Community Justice Service
Community Offender Bureau for Rehabilitation Action
Community Protection and Justice Service
Community Punishment and Re-education Service
Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service
Community Sanction Service
Community Sentence Enforcement Agency
Community Sentence Enforcement Service
Community Sentence Supervisory Agency
Correction Service
Corrections Service
Court Advice and Sentence Implementation Service
Court Enforcement Service
Court Order Enforcement Agency
Department of Community Punishment
Justice Enforcement Agency
Justice Enforcement and Public Protection Service
National Resettlement Service
Offender Control and Supervision Service
Offender Control Service
Offender Correction Service
Offender Management Service
Offender Monitoring Service
Offender Risk Management Service
Offender Supervision and Control
Offender Supervision Service
Offending Behaviour Correction Service
Probation Agency
Probation and Public Protection Service
Probation Service
Public Protection Service
Public Safety and Offender Management Service
Punishment and Rehabilitation Service
Remand Service
Sentence Enforcement
Sentence Enforcement Agency
Sentence Enforcement and Rehabilitation Agency.
(2) what was the total amount spent on prison education services in each young offender institution and in total in (a) 1999 to date, (b) 1998, (c) 1997 and (d) 1992; and if he will make a statement. [102657]
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| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Young Offender Establishment | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 to end of October |
| Aylesbury | 414,477 | 522,455 | 385,827 |
| Brinsford | 169,250 | 242,237 | 147,643 |
| Castington | 241,468 | 256,167 | 206,893 |
| Deerbolt | 326,118 | 422,119 | 310,883 |
| Dover | 151,139 | 157,403 | 148,926 |
| Feltham | 467,272 | 592,115 | 358,133 |
| Glen Parva | 439,155 | 553,878 | 293,217 |
| Guys Marsh | 258,675 | 359,457 | 210,523 |
| Hatfield | 225,136 | 224,478 | 116,568 |
| Hindley | 727,324 | 624,206 | 413,931 |
| Huntercombe | 317,543 | 402,591 | 336,490 |
| Lancaster Farms | 458,279 | 564,437 | 402,644 |
| Northallerton | 236,165 | 279,352 | 182,637 |
| Onley | 455,448 | 570,060 | 306,998 |
| Portland | 443,838 | 500,700 | 318,067 |
| Reading | 142,489 | 136,296 | 124,992 |
| Stoke Heath | 293,701 | 482,394 | 321,126 |
| Swinfen Hall | 211,735 | 331,556 | 200,430 |
| Thorn Cross | 484,351 | 511,470 | 244,581 |
| Werrington | 190,633 | 201,345 | 122,702 |
| Wetherby | 433,918 | 497,377 | 302,467 |
| Total | 7,088,114 | 8,432,092 | 5,455,678 |
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