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Covert Filming
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has (a) to deal with and (b) to prevent harassment by covert filming. [161027]
Mr. Charles Clarke: There are no specific provisions covering harassment by covert filming. A course of conduct causing another person harassment, alarm or distress is an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The Act also provides for a second offence of causing someone to fear on two or more occasions that violence will be used against them. The courts can impose on anyone convicted of either of these two offences a restraining order preventing further harassment or fear of violence. A breach of such an order is a serious matter, and attracts a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment. The Act also provides for a civil order, a breach of which is a criminal offence.
Fasting (Prisons)
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has to intervene in respect of a person in custody in one of Her Majesty's prisons who is seeking to fast to death; and what guidance he has issued to (a) prison officers and (b) others in respect of the exercise of such powers. [161023]
Mr. Boateng: The Prison Service has a duty of care but compulsory treatment may be provided only in certain circumstances. Generally, prisoners who are assessed to be of sound mind, who have no evidence of mental illness, and who fully understand the consequences of their actions, cannot be treated compulsorily and therefore
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cannot usually be fed artificially against their will by prison authorities. In such situations, some prisoners may, in consultation with their legal advisers, make directives to the effect that they do not wish for medical intervention in the event of a deterioration in their well-being. However, even where advance directives have been made, all aspects of prisoners' conditions are reviewed, including mental capacity and well-being. They are reminded of the consequences of their actions should they wish to continue to refuse food.
The Prison Service issued detailed guidance to prison doctors, in January 1996, on the subject of food refusal, which discussed the question of mental capacity and the implications of advance directives.
Police Complaints (Northamptonshire)
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Northamptonshire about the investigation of a complaint by a constituent whose name has been forwarded to him. [161029]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand from the chief constable of Northamptonshire police that in the particular case referred to, no formal complaint has been made. However, I also understand that the allegations have been investigated thoroughly by the Area Commander for the Wellingborough area who has ascertained that they are unfounded.
Commonwealth Games
Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his role as chair of the Ministerial Committee on the Commonwealth Games. [160728]
Mr. Straw: I chair an ad hoc Ministerial Group which considers Government support to the Commonwealth Games.
My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office explained, in evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on 20 March, that Manchester city council, with the Government, had arranged a review of the finances and organisation of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year as the build-up to the Games moves from the planning to the implementation phase.
Primates
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) of the primates listed in Table 2 of his Department's statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures for 1999 which came from outside the EU (a) how many were wild-caught, (b) from which countries were wild-caught primates imported, (c) how many were ill or injured on arrival, specifying the illness or injury in each case and (d) how many became ill or were injured during quarantine for reasons unrelated to the scientific procedures, specifying the illness or injury in each case; [160894]
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- (2) of the primates listed in Table 2 of his Department's statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures for 1999 which came from outside of the EU (a) how many were captive-bred, (b) from which countries captive-bred primates were imported, (c) how many were ill or injured on arrival, specifying the illness or injury in each case and (d) how many became ill or were injured during quarantine for reasons unrelated to the scientific procedures, specifying the illness or injury in each case; [160895]
(3) in relation to primates destined for UK laboratories not used for scientific procedures (a) how many primates (i) captive-bred and (ii) wild-caught outside the EU were (A) found dead on arrival in the UK and (B) died or became ill in quarantine in (x) 1999 and (y) 2000 in each case giving relevant details. [160917]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We announced in 1997 our intention that licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 will never be issued for programmes of work involving the use of Great Apes (chimpanzees, pygmy chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans) and that exceptional justification is required for the use of wild-caught primates.
In addition, the 1986 Act requires that non-human primates cannot be used unless no other species is suitable. Along with regulatory testing to help ensure the safety of medicines, non-human primates (mainly marmosets and macaques) are also used for other important areas of fundamental research. For example, they contribute to programmes of work relating to Parkinson's disease, visual impairment, stroke, diabetes, disorders of reproduction and vaccine development.
Table 2 of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 1999 records 418 non- human primates used in scientific procedures as coming from outside the European Union. The detailed information requested in relation to these animals is for the most part not held centrally by the Home Office and it is, therefore, not possible to provide all of the information required about them. However, Home Office records confirm that none of these 418 animals were wild caught.
The overseas sources of primates used in 1999 were Mauritius, the Philippines, China, Israel and South Africa.
I am advised that problems encountered with imported primates are generally few and instances of death following acquisition are very rare.
It is not possible to provide general information with regard to primates destined for laboratories in the United Kingdom but subsequently not used. Such animals are not included in the annual statistics. However, I have previously advised the hon. Member that no deaths or injuries have been reported in baboons during
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transportation, including the group of twenty-eight wild-caught baboons imported from Kenya in May 1999 but not used.
Departmental Texts
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards replacing Anno Domini with Common Era in departmental texts. [160841]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have no such policy, and have not considered introducing one.
May Day Protests
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will reimburse the Metropolitan Police Authority for the additional costs above budget incurred in preparing for and policing the 1 May protests in London; and if he will make a statement; [160918]
- (2) what estimates he has made of the additional costs to that for which budget provision exists of the 1 May protests in London. [160919]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Costs of policing operational activities are matters for the police authorities and chief police officers concerned. Such costs are met from the budgets and reserves held by each authority. I have made no estimates of the costs incurred on the 1 May protests.
The additional cost of public order events in London is already partly reflected in a special payment for national and capital city functions which is added to the annual police grant for the Metropolitan Police Authority. The special payment is £191 million in 2001-02.
I am prepared to consider applications from forces for special grant towards extraordinary costs which may be incurred from time to time in exceptional circumstances. The normal criteria for grant are that the event could not reasonably have been anticipated and financial provision made; that the cost is a significant proportion of the force budget; and that having to meet the cost unaided would materially affect the efficiency of the force concerned.
Social Inclusion
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the funding programmes for social inclusion for which his Department is responsible that can be accessed by (a) national sports bodies and (b) local clubs and communities. [161004]
Mr. Boateng: The information requested is shown in the table; all funding is dependent on the body or group concerned meeting the aims of the particular programme:
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| Programme (Home Office unit concerned) | Directly accessible by national sports bodies | Directly accessible by local clubs and communities |
|---|---|---|
| Connecting Communities (Race Equality Unit) | No | (26)Yes |
| Family Support Grant "Dads and Lads" parenting programme (Family Policy Unit) | Yes | No |
| Mentoring Fund (Active Community Unit) | Yes | Yes |
| Community Resource Fund (Active Community Unit with Community Development Foundation) | No | Yes |
| Small Bids (to prevent offending) (Youth Justice Board) | Yes | Yes |
| Mentoring for Ethnic Minorities/Literacy and Numeracy (Youth Justice Board) | No | Yes |
(26) Local communities
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