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Criminal Records
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received from the Data Protection Commissioner about the accuracy of criminal records held on the Police National Computer; [142433]
- (2) what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of criminal records held on the Police National Computer which contain significant inaccuracies or errors. [142432]
Mr. Charles Clarke: While there is no precise indication of the incidence of significant inaccuracies, we fully share the concerns that the Data Protection Commissioner has expressed about both delays in inputting data onto the Police National Computer, and inaccuracies on the system. We have therefore welcomed the Compliance Strategy which has been drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers, and which sets quantified performance indicators for police forces in terms of both timeliness and accuracy. Forces have been required to submit by February action plans for implementing the strategy.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what performance standards he has set for the operation by Capita of the Criminal Records Bureau's information systems; [142426]
- (2) what arrangements he has made to ensure that errors in records held on the Police National Computer and supplied to employers by the Criminal Records Agency can be corrected. [142434]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Certificates will be prepared by the Criminal Records Bureau only on the application of individuals. Certificates will be issued to the applicant, who will thus be in a position to challenge any inaccuracy. Arrangements will be in place to respond promptly to any such case. The contract with Capita, which was awarded after a rigorous competitive tendering procedure, specifies performance standards covering a wide range of matters. Further detailed standards are currently being defined.
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Standards include arrangements for checking the identity of applicants. They will take into account further discussions with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, which is being kept informed. Standards for service to the public will be published.
Prisoner Activity
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of hours is which prisoners spent in purposeful activity in the financial years (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000 and (e) the period since 1 April. [142440]
Mr. Boateng: The average hours spent by prisoners in purposeful activity in the years mentioned are set out in the table:
| Average number of hours of purposeful activity | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 23.8 |
| 1997-98 | 23.3 |
| 1998-99 | 22.8 |
| 1999-2000 | 23.2 |
| 2000(12) | 23.7 |
(12) April-October
Prisons (Assaults)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on (a) staff, (b) prisoners and (c) other people took place in prisons and resulted in a positive disciplinary adjudication in (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1997-98, (iii) 1998-99, (iv) 1999-2000, and (v) the period since 1 April; if he will express those figures (A) in terms of actual numbers and (B) as a percentage of the average prison population during the relevant period; and if he will make a statement. [142439]
Mr. Boateng: Data for positive assault adjudications for the years in question are set out in the table. Data since 1 April 2000 are provisional and subject to validation.
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The Prison Service does not collect data on assaults on staff and others separately. Data on assaults have been previously published in Her Majesty's Prison Service Corporate Plan 1999-2000 to 2001-02, Her Majesty's Prison Service Annual Reports and Accounts 1998-99 (HC 748) and Her Majesty's Prison Service Annual Reports and Accounts 1999-2000 (HC 622).
Self-harm and Suicides (Prisoners)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases of non-fatal self-harm there were in (a) young offender institutions and (b) adult prisons in each financial year from 1996-97 to 1999-2000 and in the period since 1 April 2000; [142437]
- (2) how many (a) convicted prisoners and (b) remand prisoners committed suicide in (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1997-98, (iii) 1998-99, (iv) 1999-2000 and (v) the period since 1 April; how many suicides in each period took place in young offender institutions; and if he will make a statement. [142438]
Mr. Boateng: The available figures requested are given in the tables. Self-inflicted death figures are given both for young offenders under 21 and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs): the former is higher because many young offenders are not accommodated in YOIs. I regret that I am not at present able to provide reliable 2000-01 self-inflicted death figures by establishment type, but will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.
I regret also that I am also unable to provide figures for the numbers of self-harm incidents for this year. The Prison Service is looking at putting in place a new system for recording such incidents, but this will not provide data for 2000-01.
The Prison Service is reconsidering with Ministers its suicide/ self-harm strategy and an announcement will be made early in 2001.
| Status | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial year | Sentence | Remand | Judgment respite | Convicted unsentenced | Total |
| 1996-97 | 28 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 64 |
| 1997-98 | 32 | 29 | 4 | 9 | 74 |
| 1998-99 | 27 | 38 | 6 | 11 | 82 |
| 1999-2000 | 34 | 47 | 3 | 7 | 91 |
| 2000-01(13) | 27 | 28 | 2 | -- | 57 |
| Total | 148 | 170 | 22 | 28 | 368 |
(13) Up to and including 7 December 2000
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| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 16 |
| 1997-98 | 8 |
| 1998-99 | 14 |
| 1999-2000 | 15 |
| 2000-01(14) | 13 |
| Total | 66 |
(14) Up to and including 7 December 2000
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 10 |
| 1997-98 | 4 |
| 1998-99 | 4 |
| 1999-2000 | 7 |
| Total | 25 |
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult male | 3,472 | 4,597 | 4,730 |
| Female | 730 | 1,107 | 1,228 |
| YOI | 1,171 | 1,319 | 1,439 |
| Total number of self harm incidents | 5,373 | 7,023 | 7,398 |
Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much expenditure for 2001-02 for each local probation board will be ring-fenced for Drug Treatment and Testing Orders; what his policy is towards such ring-fencing for future years; and if he will make a statement. [142452]
Mr. Boateng: The information for each local probation board is set out in the table. No decision has yet been taken on whether expenditure on Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) will continue to be ring-fenced after 2001-02. The roll out of DTTOs has occurred, and only from 1 October will it be necessary to consider the implications of this roll out before a decision is made for 2002-03 and beyond.
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