House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5 Mar 2001 (pt 6)

Investment Strategy

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of progress in implementing the Investment Strategy; if he will list the exceptional circumstances under which sites may be offered to other public bodies; what sites have been disposed of in this way, and under what circumstances in each case, in the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [150524]

Dr. Moonie: The Investment Strategy was published as a result of the 2000 Spending Review, which sets out new plans for investment for 2001-02 to 2003-04. At the same time, the Government committed themselves to producing documents that would show how Departments planned to use this funding by setting out a strategic plan for both new investment and the use of existing assets. The Defence Investment Strategy is the result. The Strategy sets out the strategic context the MOD is working in, an analysis of its existing asset base, future investment plans and the systems the Department will be adopting to deliver value for money.

The exceptional circumstances under which sites may be offered to other public bodies are where it will ensure the future preservation of an area of importance for nature conservation, a listed building or scheduled monument or to preserve a community facility which would have no alternative use. Details of the sites which have been disposed of in this way over the last four years are not held centrally, and the costs of retrieving this information would be disproportionate.

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Service Personnel Medical Assessment Programme

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former service personnel have made an appointment with the Medical Assessment Programme at St. Thomas's Hospital since 21 November 2000; and how many of these appointments have been made following a referral from the individual's medical practitioner. [152049]

Dr. Moonie: All appointments with the Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) at St. Thomas' Hospital are made as a result of a referral by the patient's GP. During the period 21 November 2000 to 1 March 2001, 47 former service personnel who served in the Gulf have been referred to the MAP. Of these 26 have been seen.

During the same time period 42 former Porton Down volunteers have been referred to the MAP by their GP. Of this number 12 have been seen.

Firing Ranges

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make available sites designated for live firing for dry military training. [151692]

Dr. Moonie: All sites designated for live firing are used for dry training whenever it is safe to do so.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates army firing took place within each of the firing ranges in the Dartmoor National Park; and which dates were advertised in advance for the year ending 31 December 2000. [151884]

Dr. Moonie: The advertised and actual number of days on which the Armed Forces fired on each of the three firing ranges in the Dartmoor National Park for the year ending 31 December 2000 are as follows:

Range Advertised Actual

Okehampton 60 47

Willsworthy 179 125

Merrivale 128 87

Range	Advertised	Actual
Okehampton	60	47
Willsworthy	179	125
Merrivale	128	87

HOME DEPARTMENT

Burglaries and Personal Attacks

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries and personal attacks for residents of (a) housing blocks owned by local authorities and housing associations and (b) privately owned houses there were in the last 12 months. [151532]

Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 27 February 2001]: Crimes recorded by the police do not provide this information. The most recent results available from the 2000 British crime survey relate to 1999, and estimate the number of burglaries and personal attacks against those in privately owned houses and those renting from social and private landlords. The survey cannot provide figures for people living in

"housing blocks owned by local authorities and housing associations"

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as some blocks will have a tenure mix of owner occupiers, private tenants, and social renters. The figures for local authority/housing association properties will also include flats as well as houses. Table 1 gives the figures available.

Table 1: Estimated number of burglaries and violence incidents in 1999 (in thousands), by tenure type (British crime survey estimates)

Tenure	Burglary⁽¹⁵⁾	Violence⁽¹⁶⁾
Owner occupiers	596	1,652
Social rented sector	476	710
Private rented sector	237	703

⁽¹⁵⁾ Includes attempts and burglary with entry.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Comprises the following offences; robbery, snatch theft, wounding and common assault.

Note:

These estimates are based on the number of incidents per 10,000 households/individuals, multiplied up to represent the adult population of England and Wales.

Source:

2000 BCS.

Table 2 shows rates of victimisation in each sector (taking account of the varying number of householders in each). Tenants in private rented accommodation face the highest levels of both burglary and violent incidents, followed by social renters. The wider context needs to be borne in mind. For instance, rented accommodation is more common in urban and inner-city areas, where levels of crime are generally higher.

Table 2: Rates per 10,000 of burglaries and violent incidents in 1999, by tenure type (British crime survey)

Tenure Burglary⁽¹⁷⁾ Violence⁽¹⁸⁾

Owner occupiers 394 540

Social rented sector 1,040 960

Private rented sector 1,061 1,755

All 585 773

Tenure	Burglary⁽¹⁷⁾	Violence⁽¹⁸⁾
Owner occupiers	394	540
Social rented sector	1,040	960
Private rented sector	1,061	1,755
All	585	773

⁽¹⁷⁾ Includes attempts and burglary with entry.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Comprises the following offences; robbery, snatch theft, wounding and common assault.

Source:

2000 BCS.

Either-way Cases

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many either-way offences were dealt with by magistrates in each year since 1987; of these how many were (a) committed to the Crown court for sentence and (b) committed for trial by Crown court; and in how many of these was mode of trial (i) elected by the defendant and (ii) referred for trial where the magistrate declined jurisdiction; [151818]

(a)

(b)

(3) how many either-way offences were committed to trial in the Crown court in each year since 1996, showing the proportion of elected cases to all either-way cases committed for trial in the Crown court. [151820]

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Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office court proceedings database does not contain information on whether defendants elect Crown court trial or are directed for trial there, nor does it contain details on defendants' pleas at magistrates courts. The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for triable either-way offences in England and Wales for the years 1987 to 1999 are shown in Table A, together with details of those committed for trial or sentence. Table B shows details of plea entered by defendants committed for trial on triable either-way offences at the Crown court in England and Wales for the years 1996 to 1999.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not separately record plea by type of offence at magistrates courts, but does record defendants finalised at the Crown court who elected for Crown court trial. Table C, from CPS statistics for the years 1992 to 2000, shows the proportion of defendants committed for trial to the Crown court in England and Wales for either-way offences who elected Crown court trial.

Table A: Defendants proceeded against for triable either-way offences at magistrates courts in England and Wales, and those committed for trial or sentence, 1987 to 1999

Year Defendants proceeded against Defendants committed for trial Defendants committed for sentence

1987 468,900 95,600 5,800

1988 473,300 95,100 6,100

1989 425,900 82,000 5,500

1990 444,500 82,000 6,200

1991 462,400 82,600 7,100

1992 462,000 74,900 5,900

1993 449,600 66,600 3,600

1994 466,800 69,500 3,600

1995 434,100 61,100 3,700

1996 432,600 61,200 4,400

1997 454,400 66,500 6,800

1998 477,500 52,000 18,200

1999 479,900 51,000 19,300

Year	Defendants proceeded against	Defendants committed for trial	Defendants committed for sentence
1987	468,900	95,600	5,800
1988	473,300	95,100	6,100
1989	425,900	82,000	5,500
1990	444,500	82,000	6,200
1991	462,400	82,600	7,100
1992	462,000	74,900	5,900
1993	449,600	66,600	3,600
1994	466,800	69,500	3,600
1995	434,100	61,100	3,700
1996	432,600	61,200	4,400
1997	454,400	66,500	6,800
1998	477,500	52,000	18,200
1999	479,900	51,000	19,300

Table B: Defendants committed for trial for triable either-wayoffences to the Crown court in England and Wales, by plea, 1996 to 1999

Year Defendants pleading guilty Defendants pleading not guilty

1996 46,500 21,300

1997 51,000 21,900

1998 40,000 22,200

1999 35,900 21,900

Year	Defendants pleading guilty	Defendants pleading not guilty
1996	46,500	21,300
1997	51,000	21,900
1998	40,000	22,200
1999	35,900	21,900

Table C: Crown Prosecution Statistics--Percentage of either-way cases committed to the Crown court in which the defendant has elected Crown court trial, England and Wales, 1987 to 2000

Year Percentage of triable either-way defendants electing to be committed for trial

1987⁽¹⁹⁾ 52

1988 45

1989 42

1990 38

1991 37

1992 37

1993 35

1994 35

1995 33

1996 32

1997 28

1998 28

1999 32

2000 30

Year	Percentage of triable either-way defendants electing to be committed for trial
1987⁽¹⁹⁾	52
1988	45
1989	42
1990	38
1991	37
1992	37
1993	35
1994	35
1995	33
1996	32
1997	28
1998	28
1999	32
2000	30

⁽¹⁹⁾ Data available for April to December only

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