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Corporate Manslaughter
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the conclusions of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Corporate Manslaughter; and if he will make a statement. [103580]
Mr. Boateng: We have received the report of the inter-departmental working group of officials which has been considering the recommendations made in the Law Commission's report no. 237, "Legislating the Criminal Code: Involuntary Manslaughter". The Law Commission's report included a recommendation that there should be a new offence of corporate killing.
We are considering the recommendations of the working group and will consult our colleagues on how to take the matter forward.
Chinese President (State Visit)
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department of those people who were arrested as a result of actions they took during the visit by the President of China, how many are (a) on bail, (b) in custody, (c) have had charges against them proved and (d) were released without charge. [103222]
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Mr. Boateng:
15 persons were arrested by the Metropolitan Police and one by the City of London Police in connection with the President of China's visit. (This figure excludes three people arrested for being drunk and disorderly or for possession of drugs at the scene of the visit). One individual was arrested twice. Of these 16 individuals, all were released without charge, and hence none is on bail, in custody, or has had charges against them proved; four of them did however receive police cautions.
Mr. Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom for each month from January 1997 to November 1999. [103380]
Mrs. Roche:
The available information is given in the table.
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2,715 | 2,860 | (14)4,700 |
| February | 2,475 | 2,650 | (14)4,185 |
| March | 2,160 | 3,200 | (14)5,060 |
| April | 2,665 | 3,135 | (14)4,905 |
| May | 2,590 | 3,110 | (14)5,370 |
| June | 2,585 | 3,575 | (14)6,130 |
| July | 3,070 | 4,215 | (14)6,440 |
| August | 2,930 | 4,420 | (14)7,120 |
| September | 2,850 | 4,455 | (14)7,355 |
| October | 2,990 | 5,010 | (14)6,295 |
| November | 2,345 | 4,620 | n/a |
| December | 3,120 | 4,770 | n/a |
| Total | 32,500 | 46,015 | -- |
(12) Figures do not include overseas applications.
(13) Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
(14) Provisional figures.
Police Recruitment
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to re-assess regularly the baseline figure of planned police recruits during the life of the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement. [103333]
Mr. Boateng: In order to establish baseline figures for projected recruitment over the next three years, we have asked forces for details of their recruitment plans for each of those years.
To continue to receive funding for further additional officers for years two and three, police forces will need to demonstrate that the first year's funding has been used to recruit and deploy the additional numbers agreed for front line policing and that they have met the other continuation criteria set out in the Bidding Guidelines, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 2 December. Forces will be asked in October 2000 and again in October 2001, to provide the information requested to demonstrate that they have met the continuation criteria.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the funds which will need to be available through the
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Crime Fighting Fund in year two and year three in order for police forces to be able to recruit a total of 5,000 officers; and if he will make a statement; [103328]
Mr. Boateng:
£35 million of new money has been allocated to kick-start the scheme in year one and further sums will be made available in years two and three. It is impossible to say at this stage how much funding will be needed in years two and three as we do not yet know how forces will spread their bids over the three year period of the scheme.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make funding available for the retention of police officers recruited through the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement. [103331]
Mr. Boateng:
The Crime Fighting Fund will provide for the recruitment and retention of officers over the three year period from April 2000. Funding per recruit will be based on the aggregate annual cost of a new police constable up to a maximum of £32,500 for a Police Officer recruited to a force other than the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS): £35,130 for a Metropolitan Police Service recruit. Those sums include the following: £17,900 (pay); £1,300 Earning Related National Insurance Contributions (ERNIC); £5,300 (pension); a contribution to training and £1,000 for recruitment.
The salary, ERNIC and pension costs of police officers who are recruited under the Crime Fighting Fund will continue to be paid for the three year period of the scheme. In the longer term all pressures on police funds, including these new officers, will be reflected in bids my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will make during the 2000 Spending Review.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces are not recruiting new police recruits; and if he will make a statement. [103332]
Mr. Boateng:
Timing of recruitment is a matter for the individual forces concerned. The information we have is that 28 forces in England and Wales are recruiting new police recruits at the current time.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Metropolitan Police and social services departments in London regarding begging activities in London by women claiming to be Kosovan refugees using children and babies. [103211]
Mr. Boateng:
There have been no recent discussions between my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police or London social services departments about begging, begging with children or foreign nationals begging.
Begging in a public place is an offence and therefore, within the Metropolitan Police District, it is an operational matter for the Commissioner. He tells me that there is a dedicated police unit at Charing Cross which deals with
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begging and rough sleepers; this unit works in association with other relevant agencies. The Metropolitan Police do not monitor data on the number of foreign nationals arrested for begging.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations in relation to Toyota he has made to (a) the Monetary Policy Committee and (b) Members of the Monetary Policy Committee regarding the (i) value of sterling and (ii) level of UK interest rates. [103038]
Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will announce the date for the auction of new mobile telephone licences. [102152]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Information Memorandum for the auction of Third Generation mobile communication Wireless Telegraphy Act licences published on 1 November set out an indicative auction timetable in which applications are to be received on 12 January and the auction starts in early March. The Notice, which confirms the date for receipt of applications as 12 January, will be issued on 22 December.
Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the proposed auction of new mobile phone licences; and if he will make a statement. [102154]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Government have received numerous representations on the auction of Third Generation mobile communication Wireless Telegraphy Act licences. These have been taken into account in decisions relating to the auction.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken by (a) his Department and (b) Oftel to prevent telecommunications fraud, with particular reference to the use of high cost line and call charges. [102837]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 16 December 1999]: The regulation of the telecommunications industry is a matter for the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel). Oftel takes telecoms operators' network integrity very seriously. Oftel will always investigate any case of alleged telephone fraud.
The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) regulates high cost telephone lines through its Code of Practice, with which Premium Rate Service Providers have to comply. The Code has a number of provisions relating to both the advertising for and the content of services, which are designed to counter fraudulent provision and use of such services.
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(2) what additional funding will be made available for the Crime Fighting Fund in year two and year three; and if he will make a statement. [103329]
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