House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5 Dec 2001 (pt 12)

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the

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efficiency of the proportion of the drugs budget that has been spent on (a) treatment, (b) the criminal justice system and (c) anti-drugs education in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Council of Europe countries. [19716]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Proactive expenditure directly targeted at tackling drug misuse and drug trafficking will total some £932 million in 2001–02 (excluding devolved spending). This is broadly allocated as follows:

£328 million treatment;

£92 million protecting young people (education, prevention and early intervention);

£135 million safeguarding communities (including criminal justice measures and the new Communities against Drugs (CAD) programme);

and £373 million reducing the availability of drugs, particularly class A drugs; and

an additional £5 million to support the work of local Drug Action Teams in delivering the strategy locally.

A number of studies have been published which support the value of Government investment in tackling drug misuse and drug related crime. These include the National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS), whose reports are published by the National Addiction Centre at www.ntors.org.uk and "Drug Treatment and Testing Orders: Final Evaluation Report, Home Office Research Study 21", published October 2000, copies of which are available in the Library of the House of Commons.

On anti-drugs education I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 183W.

We have not undertaken any assessment of allocation of drugs budgets in other Council of Europe countries.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of Britain's anti-drug budget was devoted to treatment in each of the past six years for which figures are available. [19711]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Information in the form requested is available only for the year 1998–99 onwards. The data refer to proactive investment directly aimed at tackling drug misuse.

Treatment⁽¹⁷⁾ (£ million) Total anti-drug budget (£ million) Treatment as percentage of total

1998–99 168 525 32

1999–2000 209 619 33.8

2000–01 234 695 33.7

2001–02 328 932 35.2

	Treatment⁽¹⁷⁾ (£ million)	Total anti-drug budget (£ million)	Treatment as percentage of total
1998–99	168	525	32
1999–2000	209	619	33.8
2000–01	234	695	33.7
2001–02	328	932	35.2

⁽¹⁷⁾ The amounts detailed comprise mainstream spending by Department of Health, local authorities and the pooled National Treatment Agency budget. They exclude additional Prison Service treatment spend which is under the Communities aim

Entry Clearance

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance in the UK were received in the entry clearance office in Dhaka in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; of those, how many were refused at first instance; of those refused, how many were the subject of an appeal; and of those appeals, how many were successful. [17986]

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Angela Eagle [holding answer 3 December 2001]: Data on entry clearance applications which are received, refused initially and granted following an appeal in Dhaka are given in the table. Statistics on the number of appeals lodged in Dhaka are not available.

Applications for entry clearance⁽¹⁸⁾ made in Dhaka, 1997 to 2000

1997 1998 1999 2000

Received 18,310 17,290 19,460 22,410

Refused initially 5,940 4,570 4,530 5,340

Granted on appeal 500 400 390 360

	1997	1998	1999	2000
Received	18,310	17,290	19,460	22,410
Refused initially	5,940	4,570	4,530	5,340
Granted on appeal	500	400	390	360

⁽¹⁸⁾ Entry clearance applications for settlement, temporary purposes and certificates of entitlement to the right of abode.

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance were handled by joint entry clearance offices in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 in (i) Pakistan, (ii) India, (iii) Bangladesh, (iv) Australia, (v) New Zealand and (vi) Canada; and how many of them were allowed at first instance. [17987]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 3 December 2001]: Statistics on entry clearance applications granted and refused are given in the table.

Applications for entry clearance⁽¹⁹⁾ made in selected countries⁽²⁰⁾1997–2000

1997 1998 1999 2000

Pakistan

Initial decisions 52,740 71,080 68,840 84,500

Granted initially 43,660 60,430 54,010 69,400

Refused initially 9,070 10,640 14,830 15,100

Granted on appeal 940 620 270 540

Total decisions 53,680 71,700 69,110 85,040

India

Initial decisions 137,910 157,270 175,300 186,140

Granted initially 125,130 143,000 157,100 165,540

Refused initially 12,780 14,260 18,190 20,590

Granted on appeal 310 270 220 250

Total decisions 138,220 157,540 175,520 186,390

Bangladesh

Initial decisions 18,850 17,480 18,300 22,980

Granted initially 12,920 12,920 13,770 17,640

Refused initially 5,940 4,570 4,530 5,340

Granted on appeal 500 400 390 360

Total decisions 19,350 17,890 18,690 23,340

Australia

Initial decisions ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾—

Granted initially or on appeal 26,080 30,980 33,280 30,500

Refused initially 40 30 40 60

Total decisions 26,130 31,010 33,320 30,550

New Zealand

Initial decisions ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾— ⁽²¹⁾—

Granted initially or on appeal 12,580 12,970 12,900 11,460

Refused initially 20 20 40 70

Total decisions 12,600 12,990 12,940 11,540

	1997	1998	1999	2000
Pakistan
Initial decisions	52,740	71,080	68,840	84,500
Granted initially	43,660	60,430	54,010	69,400
Refused initially	9,070	10,640	14,830	15,100
Granted on appeal	940	620	270	540
Total decisions	53,680	71,700	69,110	85,040

India
Initial decisions	137,910	157,270	175,300	186,140
Granted initially	125,130	143,000	157,100	165,540
Refused initially	12,780	14,260	18,190	20,590
Granted on appeal	310	270	220	250
Total decisions	138,220	157,540	175,520	186,390

Bangladesh
Initial decisions	18,850	17,480	18,300	22,980
Granted initially	12,920	12,920	13,770	17,640
Refused initially	5,940	4,570	4,530	5,340
Granted on appeal	500	400	390	360
Total decisions	19,350	17,890	18,690	23,340

Australia
Initial decisions	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—
Granted initially or on appeal	26,080	30,980	33,280	30,500
Refused initially	40	30	40	60
Total decisions	26,130	31,010	33,320	30,550

New Zealand
Initial decisions	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—	⁽²¹⁾—
Granted initially or on appeal	12,580	12,970	12,900	11,460
Refused initially	20	20	40	70
Total decisions	12,600	12,990	12,940	11,540

⁽¹⁹⁾ Entry clearance applications for settlement, temporary purposes and certificates of entitlement to the right of abode.

⁽²⁰⁾ The country shown is that where the application was made and is not necessarily the nationality of the applicant.

⁽²¹⁾ Not available due to differences in data collection in the countries concerned.

Victims of Crimes

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received from victims of crimes of violence in the last 12 months. [20428]

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Mr. Keith Bradley: The Department receives letters from victims of crimes of violence on a wide range of issues. Numbers are not collated centrally.

European Convention on Human Rights

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implementation of Article 5(3) and 5(4) of the ECHR by other EU member states; and if he will make a statement. [20145]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 3 December 2001]: All other European Union member states are signatories to the European convention on human rights and are obliged, except in times of war and national emergencies when certain derogations may be made, to comply with its provisions.

Either-way Offences

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many defendants charged with either-way offences consented to trial in magistrates court and pleaded not guilty in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [19730]

(a)

(b)

(3) what was the average period (a) between committal to start of trial in Crown courts and (b) from first appearance or mode of trial decision to verdict in

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(4) how many (a) contested cases, (b) convictions after trial and (c) acquittals there were in (i) magistrates courts and (ii) Crown courts in each year since 1987; [19728]

(5) how many (a) either-way and (b) other cases were committed to Crown court for sentence after trial in a magistrates court in each year since 1999. [19558]

Mr. Keith Bradley: Information collected centrally by the Home Department does not include information on the number of defendants charged with triable either-way offences who consented to trial in a magistrates court, nor does it contain details on defendants' plea at magistrates courts (nor, therefore, data on the number of contested cases), nor information on whether defendants elect Crown court trial or are directed there.

I am informed by the Lord Chancellor's Department that the average time by stage of proceedings for triable either-way cases is not available centrally.

The available information is contained in Tables A and B. Table A provides figures on the number of defendants who pleaded "not guilty" for the principal offence at Crown court, who were either convicted or acquitted in England and Wales, for the years 1995 to 2000. Plea data at the Crown court were not collected centrally by this Department before 1996.

Table B shows the numbers of defendants who were committed for sentence at the Crown court for triable either-way offences and all other offences for England and Wales, for the years 1999 and 2000.

Table A⁽²²⁾: Number of defendants who pleaded "Not guilty"⁽²³⁾ at the Crown court, who were either convicted or acquitted⁽²⁴⁾ for all offences, England and Wales 1996 to 2000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty 28,434 29,272 30,195 29,802 30,500

Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were convicted 11,869 11,592 10,807 10,226 9,864

Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were acquitted 14,894 15,843 17,563 17,829 18,955

	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty	28,434	29,272	30,195	29,802	30,500
Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were convicted	11,869	11,592	10,807	10,226	9,864
Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were acquitted	14,894	15,843	17,563	17,829	18,955

⁽²²⁾ Table excludes the figures of those defendants who pleaded "not guilty" who were not tried (ie bench warrants issued, indictment to lie on file, unfit to plead, defendant died etc).

⁽²³⁾ Not guilty plea to the principal offence.

⁽²⁴⁾ Acquitted—includes not guilty, no evidence offered, charge withdrawn, judge rules no case to answer.

Table B: Number of triable either-way cases and all other cases⁽²⁵⁾ that were committed for sentence to the Crown court after trial in a magistrates court, England and Wales 1999 and 2000

Defendants committed for sentence

Offence type 1999 2000

Triable either-way 19,324 16,445

Others 1,093 851

Total 20,417 17,296

	Defendants committed for sentence
Offence type	1999	2000
Triable either-way	19,324	16,445
Others	1,093	851
Total	20,417	17,296

⁽²⁵⁾ Indictable only and summary offences

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