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Lorry Drivers (France)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) assessment he has made of and (b) representations he has received in relation to incidences of physical attacks on British lorry drivers at French ports. [17648]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have had no recent reports of physical attacks on British lorry drivers at French ports.

If incidents do occur we will take them up with the French authorities.

Czech Republic

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Czech

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Republic concerning the reasons behind the number of applications in the UK for asylum by Czech nationals; and if he will make a statement. [17417]

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had numerous contacts with our Czech counterparts in recent months. I issued a joint statement on 7 August with the Czech Foreign Minister expressing the commitment of both Governments to the highest standard of human rights for all our citizens and our shared concern that substantial numbers of Czech citizens continue to make unfounded asylum applications in the UK. The text of the statement is available on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk/news/newstext.asp?5215.

While there can be no justification for citizens of a NATO ally and strong EU applicant to seek protection in the UK, the two Governments recognise that the position of the Roma minority is a problem in the Czech Republic. The UK fully supports the efforts of the Czech Government to address this problem.

Bulgaria

Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with Bulgaria's EU accession negotiations. [17838]

Peter Hain: Bulgaria has opened 23, and closed 12, of the 31 chapters of the EU acquis under negotiation. The European Commission judged, in its progress report published on November 13, that Bulgaria had made some good progress on alignment with the acquis in key areas. But work was still needed on administrative and judicial reform, and in combating corruption. The UK will continue to provide advice and support to Bulgaria in meeting the accession criteria in these and other areas.

PRIME MINISTER

Energy Policy

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what plans he has (a) to publish and (b) otherwise to distribute the PIU report on energy policy when he receives it; [17937]

(2) when she expects the Performance and Innovation Unit report on energy policy to be completed; and if Ministers will see the report before it is published. [17935]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 546W.

Campaign Against Terrorism

Mr. Pope: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements he has made for ministerial oversight of the campaign against terrorism. [18975]

The Prime Minister: I have established a Sub- Committee of the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee to oversee the Government's role in the international coalition against international terrorism.

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Its membership and terms of reference are as follows:

Sub-Committee on International Terrorism

Composition:

Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

Chancellor of the Exchequer

President of the Council

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Secretary of State for International Development

Secretary of State for Defence

The Chief of the Defence Staff, the Attorney-General and the heads of the Intelligence Agencies also attend when required.

Terms of Reference

"To keep under review the Government's policy on international terrorism, in particular the political, military and humanitarian response to the attacks in the United States on 11 September and preventive security measures in the United Kingdom and overseas".

In addition, as part of this Sub-Committee, I have established a ministerial group, chaired by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to keep under review policy on protective security.

Its membership and terms of reference are as follows:

Ministerial Group on Protective and Preventive Security

Composition:

Secretary of State for the Home Department (in the Chair)

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions

Secretary of State for Health

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Secretary of State for Defence

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

Minister of State, Home Office

The President of the Association of Chief Police Officers and the heads of the Intelligence Agencies will attend as required.

Terms of Reference:

"To keep under review the Government's policy on preventive and precautionary security measures to counter the threat of terrorism in the United Kingdom and to British interests overseas; and to report to the Sub-Committee on International Terrorism as appropriate".

Honours System

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Prime Minister what action has been taken to reform the UK honours system since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [18254]

The Prime Minister: Since 1997, the honours lists have recognised in particular the achievements of people in the key public sectors including education, health, law and order, and in voluntary service, nationally and in the community.

Workforce Development

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Prime Minister when the performance and innovation unit's report on Workforce Development will be published. [18382]

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The Prime Minister: The performance and innovation unit's report "In Demand Adult Skills in the 21st Century" is published today as a report to the Government.

Copies have been placed in the House Library. Additional copies and further information can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ innovation.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Poverty

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of poverty amongst the clergy. [16896]

Mr. Bell: Responsibilities for clergy stipends have been transferred to the Ministry Division of the Archbishops' Council, which set up a review group to look at clergy stipends in 1999. As part of its work, the group conducted a survey of all clergy on the central payroll in 2000 in order to find out how clergy were managing financially. A copy of the survey results will be placed in the Library. The survey showed that one third of those households where the clergy stipend was the sole source of income either struggled to pay their bills or to provide extra things such as holidays.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Early-day Motions

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what his latest estimate is of the cost of (a) printing and (b) administering early-day motions. [17642]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 23 November 2001]: For the latest estimate of the cost of printing early-day motions I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Richard Younger-Ross) on 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 91W. The cost of administering early-day motions, including such tasks as editorial preparation and control and electronic publication, is not separately identifiable.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards meeting the public service agreement target for the long run rate of growth of crime. [17310]

Mr. Denham: There is no Public Service Agreement (PSA) target on the long run rate of growth in crime as such. The PSA targets for crime set by Spending Review 2000 and progress on them are:

To reduce vehicle crime by 30 per cent. by 2004. Recorded vehicle crime fell by nine per cent. in the 12 months to March 2001.

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To reduce burglary by 25 per cent., no local authority having a domestic burglary rate more than three times the national average by 2005. Recorded Domestic Burglary fell by nine per cent. in the 12 months to March 2001.


To reduce robbery in our principal cities by 14 per cent. by 2005—while recorded robbery rose by 13 per cent. in the 12 months to March 2001, these rates of increase were much slower than those recorded in the previous 12 months. The British Crime Survey, a more accurate measure of crime, shows that violent crime is actually falling overall (down 19 per cent. between 1999–2000).

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for drug action teams to name comprehensive programmes involving lifeskills in schools, the youth service, further education and the community. [17151]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Home Department does not have a public service agreement (PSA) target for drug action teams to name comprehensive programmes involving lifeskills in schools, the youth service, further education and the community. The PSA relating to young people is to reduce the proportion of people under the age of 25 reporting the use of Class A drugs by 25 per cent. by 2005 and 50 per cent. by 2008.

However, the Government do believe that drug, alcohol and tobacco education is best delivered within a framework of personal, social and health education (PSHE). Good personal social and health education and citizenship education, when well delivered in schools, provides a vital foundation for the personal development of young people and prepares them for adult life. It can help to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens. Currently 93 per cent. of secondary schools and 75 per cent. of primaries now have a drug education policy compared with 86 per cent. of secondary schools and 61 per cent. of primaries in 1997. The target for 2002 is for all secondary schools and 80 per cent. of primaries to have effective programmes in place.

The role of Drug Action Teams (DATs) in this process is measured via the Young Peoples Substance Misuse Plans. These plans will help to integrate drug service provision with other existing children's services. The first of these plans will be submitted in March 2002. By 2004, in every DAT area there will be substance misuse education and information for all young people and their families; advice and support targeted at vulnerable groups; early identification of need; and tailored support to all who need it.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the public service agreement target of a reduction of 3 per cent. in the proportion of arrestees testing positive for (a) heroin, (b) cocaine and (c) crack. [17050]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We are in the process of reviewing progress against all drugs strategy targets.

The 2002 drugs strategy target, as set out in the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's Second National Plan, to achieve a reduction in the proportion of arrestees

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testing positive for Class A drugs, was taken forward in the Spending Review 2000 Service Delivery Agreement commitment to

"achieve a reduction of three percentage points in the proportion of arrestees testing positive for heroin and/or cocaine and/or crack from the 1999–2000 half baseline".

The target is not to achieve separate reductions for individual drugs. It is one of several measures contributing towards delivery of the public service agreement target to reduce levels of repeat offending among drug misusing offenders by 25 per cent. by 2005 and by 50 per cent. by 2008.

The New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW-ADAM) research programme provides estimates of the proportion of arrestees testing positive for each of a number of illicit drugs, including opiates/heroin and cocaine/crack. On the basis of data collected in eight sites in 1999–2000, we estimate that, 29 per cent. of arrestees testing positive for these drugs should be reduced to 26 per cent. by 2001–02, when the same eight sites are revisited. Data for 2001–02, are currently being collected. The findings will be available in the autumn of 2002.

Source:

Bennett, T, Holloway, K and Williams, T (2001) "Drug Use and Offending: summary results from the first year of the NEW-ADAM Research Programme", Research Findings 148.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for the seizure of class A drugs. [17060]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The targets set to achieve the public service agreement to increase the proportion of class A drugs targeted on the United Kingdom which is seized are 4.5 metric tonnes of heroin and 7.0 metric tonnes of cocaine by March 2002. From April 2000 to the end of September 2001, one tonne of heroin and 2.3 tonnes of cocaine had been seized.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the Public Service Agreement target for increasing the amount of assets (a) identified from drug traffickers and (b) secured. [17074]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The public service agreement target was to increase the amount of assets identified from drug traffickers and secured by one third over a three year period. The target is measured in terms of receipts from the enforcement of confiscation orders in drug trafficking cases. The baseline was receipts of £9.5 million during the 1997–98 financial year. The milestone objectives that were set were receipts of £10.4 million in year one (1998–99), £11.5 million in year two (1999–2000) and £12.6 million in year three (2000–01).

The outcomes for years one and two were £10.5 million in 1998–99 and £9.3 million for 1999–2000. The outcome for 2000–01 is not yet available.

The Government have set a target of doubling amounts recovered from drug traffickers and other serious criminals by 2004. The baseline for this is receipts from confiscation and cash forfeiture orders of £29.4 million that were secured in 1999–2000. The Government's objective is to increase this to receipts of £60 million in

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the financial year 2004–05. This is to be achieved through the Asset Recovery Strategy, which I shall be publishing shortly, and the Proceeds of Crime Bill.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for the rate of positive results from mandatory random drug tests. [17066]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The percentage of prisoners testing positive for random mandatory drug testing has reduced year by year from 18.3 per cent. in 1998–99, to reach 12.4 per cent. in 2000–01. The figure for the financial year 2001–02 to date is 11.6 per cent.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on progress towards the 2002 target for the number of (a) face-to-face arrest referral schemes and (b) arrestees referred to and entering treatment programmes; [17054]

(2) if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target on the operation by police services of face-to-face referral schemes covering all custody suites. [17051]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The 2002 drugs strategy target, as set out in the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's First and Second National Plans, that all police services operate face-to-face arrest referral schemes covering all custody suites, was taken forward in the Spending Review 2000 Service Delivery Agreement commitment to make proactive arrest referral schemes available for all custody suites by 31 March 2002. This is one of several measures contributing towards delivery of the public service agreement (PSA) target to reduce levels of repeat offending among drug misusing offenders by 25 per cent. by 2005 and by 50 per cent. by 2008. As at the end of March 2001, 41 police forces were operating arrest referral schemes, with 330 arrest referral workers covering 86 per cent. of custody suites across England and Wales. The recently published Home Office Arrest Referral Statistical Update for the period October 2000 to March 2001 shows that arrest referral workers held 21,329 interviews in that period involving 19,190 individuals, 56 per cent. of whom were referred to a specialist treatment service. Of those referred to drug treatment, preliminary analyses based upon a sample of regions, suggest 15–25 per cent. make a treatment demand. This figure is provisional and subject to further validation.

We are currently reviewing progress against all the drugs strategy targets as part of the work for the 2002 Spending Review.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the public service agreement target for the number of offenders dealt with for supply offences in respect of Class A drugs. [17049]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The number of persons dealt with in Great Britain for supply offences (possession with intent to supply unlawfully, unlawful supply, and import/ export) involving Class A drugs rose from 8,101 in 1998 to 9,517 in 1999. This represents an increase of 17.5 per cent., against a target set of 10 per cent. Data are not yet available for 2000.

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Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for increasing ethnic minority representation in the Home Office and its services. [16927]

Angela Eagle: In July 1999 the Home Secretary set recruitment targets for the Home Office and its agencies (Police, Prison, Probation and Fire services ¹ ). Most of the targets have to be met by 2009. All service areas showed progress from April 2000 to March 2001. The percentage of minority ethnic staff in the core Home Office and Immigration and Nationality Directorate in London and Croydon has risen from 24 per cent. in 2000 to 28.2 per cent. this year, against a target of 25 per cent. set for 2009. The Police, Prison and Fire services are all working towards a target of 7 per cent. minority ethnic staff by 2009. So far they have progressed as follows: (2000 figures in brackets): Police 3.1 per cent. (3 per cent.), Prison 3.7 per cent. (3.2 per cent.), Fire 1.6 per cent. (1.6 per cent.). The Probation Service has increased the percentage of minority ethnic staff in the organisation from 9.3 per cent. to 9.8 per cent. since 2000. Its target for 2009 is 8.3 per cent.

The Home Office and its services are working to achieve equal retention rates for white and minority ethnic staff. There is still work to be done, however and some key initiatives are being developed, for example exit interviews, support networks for minority ethnic staff and comprehensive diversity awareness training for management and staff.

The Home Secretary's progression targets are expressed in different ways for the different services. Essentially they require that, by 2009, the percentage of minority ethnic staff in each grade is the same as for white staff. For example, the percentage of Senior Probation Officers who are from minority ethnic groups rose from 5.6 per cent. to 8.0 per cent. last year. The first minority ethnic Chief Officer in the Probation Service was appointed.

The second annual report on targets was published on 14 November and is available in the Library.

¹ The Fire Service is no longer under the remit of the Home Office following the post General Election machinery of Government changes. Responsibility now rests with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for the reduction of sexual offences. [16913]

Mr. Keith Bradley: There is no specific public service agreement to reduce sexual offences, but police figures show that the number of recorded sexual offences fell by 1.3 per cent. to 37,000 in 2000–01.

The Government have made it clear that they are committed to the reduction of all violent crime, including sexual offences, as a high priority. We have taken action to strengthen legislation for the protection of the vulnerable, in particular children, against sex offenders and to provide better management of sex offenders in the community and better information to the public on this. We have also conducted major reviews of sex offences

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and the registration requirements in the Sex Offenders Act 1997 with a view to further strengthening of the legislation.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for reducing the conviction rate of children and young people; [17070]

(2) if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for reducing offending by juveniles. [17048]

Mr. Denham: The relevant public service agreement target is to reduce the rate of reconviction of all young offenders by 5 per cent. against the predicted rate by 2004. The first rates are expected in spring 2002. They will cover juveniles reprimanded, warned or convicted in July 2000, shortly after most of the new youth justice interventions had been brought into operation across England and Wales.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress towards the public service agreement target for the support of police trials for drug recognition training and field impairment testing in respect of drug driving. [17052]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Successful trials of drug recognition techniques and field impairment testing were undertaken in 1999, following which a police training

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programme was launched last year. We understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that 32 forces have now trained officers in these techniques.

While there is no specific target in respect of drug recognition techniques and field impairment testing, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions supports developments in this area through continuing research to monitor the use of these techniques.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for reducing the level of disorder. [17053]

Mr. Denham: The Government have introduced a range of measures to help tackle the problems of disorder and anti-social behaviour, such as the Anti-Social Behaviour Order, and we are encouraged by the increasing use of these by the police and local authorities. A public service agreement target for the reduction of disorder and anti-social behaviour will be set in April.

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