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Post-16 Education
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children remained in education after completing their GCSEs in (a) schools with sixth forms and (b) schools without sixth forms, in 2001. [11537]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The primary source of information on the changes in the activities of young people after completing compulsory education is the youth cohort study (YCS).
The table details the figures requested.
| Comprehensive schools | In full-time education in year 12 |
|---|---|
| With sixth form | 71 |
| No sixth form | 65 |
These estimates are for England and Wales. Equivalent estimates for schools other than comprehensive schools are not available.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been imposed in the London Borough of Bromley and at what cost to public funds. [9996]
Mr. Denham: Information collected centrally identifies the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued by Magistrates' Court Committee (MCC) area only, not by local authority area. Information is not collected centrally on the costs to public funds such orders make.
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Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in each of the local authority areas covered by the Essex police; and if he will list those where no orders have been issued. [10505]
Mr. Denham: Information collected centrally identifies the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued by Magistrates' Court Committee (MCC) area only, not by local authority area.
Volunteer Bureaux
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning The Experience Corps Limited and funding for local volunteer bureaux. [10187]
Mr. Denham: I recognise that volunteer bureaux play a strong role in promoting volunteering and good practice locally; that is why the Home Office provides funding of about £170,000 annually to the National Association of Volunteer Bureaux. I have received representations on behalf of a number of volunteer bureaux concerning funding allocated to the Experience Corps. The Experience Corps was established specifically to support and mobilise older people to become active in their communities. I hope that these organisations will work together to build on and enhance what has already been achieved.
Chinese State Visit (Policing)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the findings of the High Court on 3 May 2000 in respect of the actions of the Metropolitan police in determining the appropriate level and nature of policing for the visit of the Chinese State Vice-President to the UK this month. [10716]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 30 October 2001]: I have been informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the planning for the policing operation during Vice-President Hu Jintao's visit has taken into account the findings of the High Court on the 3 May 2000.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings have taken place between the Metropolitan police, his Department, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Chinese officials to discuss the policing of the UK state visit of the Chinese State Vice-President, Hu Jintao; and what decisions were taken on the policing of this visit. [10715]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 30 October 2001]: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have held several routine meetings with the Chinese Embassy to discuss the programme for the Vice-President's visit. The Metropolitan police attended some of these, to enable them to make operational decisions on security for the visit. Decisions on the policing of the visit are a matter for the Metropolitan police alone.
Criminal Records (Discrimination)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be
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introduced to prevent discrimination against those with criminal records when they apply for a job, following the Police Act 1997. [10115]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 30 October 2001]: We are determined that people who have offended in the past should not be unfairly discriminated against. The Code of Practice issued under the Police Act 1997, following extensive consultation, emphasises the need for information to be used fairly, and for guidance issued or supported by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to be observed. The Code also requires employers to have written policies in relation to the recruitment of ex-offenders. The CRB is working closely with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and with Nacro to develop guidance material for organisations that wish to use the CRB's service. Two publications have been issued so far. Both offer practical and policy recommendations on employing people with a criminal record. The Bureau will continue to work with these organisations and others on the creation of guidance materials. A publicity campaign aimed at offenders, ex-offenders, employers, volunteering groups and the public is currently being developed by the CRB, to help inform people about the disclosure service.
Special Constables
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the turnover rate was for special constables in each constabulary in England in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [10145]
Mr. Denham: Home Office-funded research into the premature wastage of special constables, completed last year, found that the primary reasons for leaving were often external to the service. However, the research identified some underlying management factors contributing to the decision to resign.
Recommendations aimed at reducing the wastage included making improvements to: the flexibility of duties and hours offered; the management structure within which specials operate; the quality of training provided locally; and to local efforts to monitor and prevent wastage.
The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.
Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables are to be assigned to the Senlac Division (a) this year and (b) in the next five years. [9863]
Mr. Denham: I am informed by the Chief Constable of Sussex police that the force aims for a ratio of one special constable to every five regular officers. Establishment figures for regular officers are set on a yearly projection basis according to the budget; For the Senlac Division in 2001, this figure was 260 regular officers. There are currently 34 special constables deployed there.
No decisions have been made about the deployment of regular (and therefore special) constables for next year and beyond.
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The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were with the Essex police at the end of (a) 1971, (b) 1981 and (c) 1991; and what the latest available figure is for 2001. [10506]
Mr. Denham: The number of serving special constables at force level has only been recorded centrally from 1991 onwards. Figures for 1971 and 1981 are not available. The total number of special constables in Essex police force for 1991 and 2001 are set out in the table.
| Year | Total number of special constables |
|---|---|
| 30 December 1991 | 642 |
| 31 March 2001 | 445 |
The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.
Emergency Services Personnel (Assaults)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted of assaulting (a) ambulance personnel and (b) other emergency services' personnel in the last 12 months for which figures are available received a (i) custodial sentence, (ii) community service order and (iii) fine. [9989]
Mr. Denham: The statistics held centrally on the Home Office's Court Proceedings Database include only the circumstances of an offence if such details are referred to in legislation. Assaults on ambulance personnel and other emergency services' personnel excluding the police are not separately identified in legislation from other offences of assault and so details of convictions of offenders found guilty of such offences are not centrally available.
Summary offences of assault on police officers can be identified and details of convictions for this offence in 1999, broken down by type of sentence, are given in the table. It is not possible to identify more serious offences of assault on the police.
Data for 2000 will be available in November.
(13) Comprises persons sentenced to a secure training order, to a young offender institution or to an unsuspended sentence of imprisonment
Note:
All data given refer to the principal offence. Some persons sentenced may have been convicted in a previous year
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