Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales to initiate policies to combat drugs misuse in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [1878]
Mr. Denham: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has an overarching role in monitoring progress against the United Kingdom drugs strategy, taking account of the distinctive substance misuse strategies in the other countries of the United Kingdom. However, it is the National Assembly for Wales which is responsible for setting and the strategic direction of the strategy in Wales and monitoring its progress.
The Assembly's Community Regeneration and Social Inclusion Unit maintains regular contact with officials of the United Kingdom Anti Drugs Co-ordination Unit and relevant Whitehall officials in other jurisdictions in the United Kingdom.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the police's role was in the provision of emergency treatment for Mr. Shiblu Rahman on 1 April in Bow; if his murder is being regarded as a racial incident; what representations his family have made to the Metropolitan police and how they have responded; and if he will make a statement. [2719]
Mr. Denham: I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the police's role in providing emergency treatment to Mr. Shiblu Rahman on 1 April in Bow was immediately to administer first aid on arrival at the scene, until a paramedic arrived.
The murder of Mr. Rahman has always been treated as a racist incident. Mr. Rahman's family have made representations to senior officers from Tower Hamlets borough, to the Serious Crime Group and to Commander Smith who is the Association of Chief Police Officers officer with geographical responsibility for East London. The family have expressed concerns as to the initial actions taken by the emergency services and these are being considered by senior officers within the Metropolitan police service.
Four people have been arrested and charged with the murder of Mr. Rahman, while a fifth person has been charged with aiding the principals.
11 Jul 2001 : Column: 534W
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide extra financial resources for HMP Wandsworth for improvements. [2530]
Beverley Hughes: In the current financial year, Wandsworth has received an additional £511,565 from the Spending Review 2000 (SR 2000) settlement for a range of measures against drugs, and other additional budget allocations for specific purposes. However, as part of the SR2000 settlement, the Prison Service has to make cashable efficiency savings of 1 per cent per year in its baselines, and Wandsworth's baseline has been reduced to contribute to this. The net effect of these changes is to increase Wandsworth's funding by £362,538 in 200102 compared to 200001. In addition, the establishment has been selected as a pilot site for national health service-funded mental health in-reach work to an estimated value of £252,000.
In the light of these changes Wandsworth is expected to contribute to efficiency savings while at the same time using the additional resources allocated to deliver more effective and targeted services. There is no prospect of further changes in Wandsworths' financial allocation in this financial year.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been electronically tagged in England and Wales. [2524]
Beverley Hughes: 47,462 people were electronically tagged in England and Wales between the start of the current electronic monitoring contracts on 28 January 1999 and 30 June 2001. At midnight on 30 June 2001, a total of 3,162 people were still being monitored.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will divert resources from the provision of further prison establishments towards the care of mentally ill prisoners in secure specialist premises outside normal prisons. [2532]
Beverley Hughes: In England, the provision of secure, specialist premises outside prisons for the treatment of mental illness is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. The National Health Service (NHS) plan, which he published in July 2000, contains a commitment to develop new NHS in-reach services for prisoners with serious mental illnesses. These services are being piloted in 12 sites in England, including Wandsworth prison, during 200001 before being implemented more widely. Alongside this development, the National Assembly for Wales is funding similar in-reach services in the four Prison Service establishments in Wales.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Jamaican, (b) Barbadian, (c) Guyanese, (d) Canadian and (e) Australian nationals were admitted as visitors during each month in (i) 2000 and
11 Jul 2001 : Column: 535W
(ii) 2001 to the latest available date; and how many of these, from each country, were admitted with leave for less than six months. [2520]
Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table.
Visitors are only admitted to the United Kingdom for a maximum period of six months. The table shows visitors and business visitors for the requested nationalities up to April 2001, the latest available month.
(3) 2001 data are provisional
(4) Totals may not sum due to rounding. This is because all calculations are based on unrounded figures to ensure accuracy
(5) Five or fewer
Note:
Data rounded to three significant digits or to the nearest 10 if less than 1,000
11 Jul 2001 : Column: 536W
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for extensions of stay were received in each month in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 to the latest available date by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate from (i) Jamaican, (b) Barbadian, (iii) Guyanese, (iv) Canadian and (v) Australian nationals admitted for less than six months as visitors; and how many were (A) granted and (B) refused. [2519]
Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table and relates to people who enter the United Kingdom as visitors and subsequently apply for an extension of stay in another category.
The information relates to decisions on applications for an extension of leave to remain. The latest available data are for the period January to September 2000.
(6) Excludes dependants of principal applicants, the outcome of appeals, and withdrawn applications
(7) Includes students admitted for less than six months
(8) Provisional
(9) Totals may not add up due to rounding. This is because all calculations are based on unrounded numbers to ensure accuracy
Note:
Data rounded to the nearest 10 with * = 5 or fewer
11 Jul 2001 : Column: 537W
Next Section | Index | Home Page |