| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Police Awards
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what awards will be given to police officers on the front line; and how an officer will qualify for an award. [22867]
Mr. Denham: [holding answer 18 December 2001]: Awards to police officers in Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Executive. All police officers in England and Wales are eligible to receive awards, whether in recognition of distinguished or long service or of a particular act of bravery. The criteria for awards are the same for Scotland as for England and Wales.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced on 4 December 2001 that eligibility for the Golden Jubilee Medal is to be extended to all members of the emergency services, using five years' service criterion applying to the defence services. Police officers and special constables who have served a minimum of five years reckonable service at the time of the 50th Anniversary of the Queen's Accession (6 February 2002) will be eligible for the award.
Police Stations
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new police stations opened in each of the last five years in the Metropolitan police area. [22487]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
| Financial year | New police station | Closed and reopened after refurbishment |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | Colindale, Isle of Dogs | West End Central |
| 1998–99 | None | Hounslow |
| 1999–2000 | Staines | Southwark, Paddington |
| 2000–01 | None | North Woolwich |
| 2001–02 | None | Romford, Holborn(29) |
(29) Planned February 2002
Air Weapons
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers the police have to remove air weapons from individuals. [22502]
Mr. Denham: Under section 47(1) of the Firearms Act 1968, a constable may require any person whom he has reasonable cause to suspect of having a firearm in a public
14 Jan 2002 : Column 92W
place or to be committing or about to commit an offence elsewhere than in a public place to hand over the firearm for examination. Any air weapon which is capable of inflicting a lethal injury is regarded as a firearm. The police also have powers under the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to seize and retain offensive weapons and anything which is evidence of an offence.
Police Funding
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list funding per head of population for policing by force area. [23072]
Mr. Denham: Grant funding per head of population for 2001–02 and provisional grant funding for 2002–03 are given in the table. Grant allocation includes Home Office Police Grant, Revenue Support Grant (from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions), National Non Domestic Rates, Crime Fighting Fund allocations and, where applicable, rural policing fund grants.
Resident population is one of a number of indicators used in the calculation of the police funding formula. Details of the indicators and their relative value in determining the allocation for individual forces are set out in "The Provision Police Grant Report (England and Wales) 2002–03", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Note:
The Corporation of the City of London have grants calculated as a local authority with wider functions than police. The principal police grant is given in the provisional police grant report.
14 Jan 2002 : Column 93W
Mentally Ill Prisoners
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally ill people there are in prison. [26010]
Beverley Hughes: A survey of mental ill health in the prison population of England and Wales, undertaken in 1997 by the Office for National Statistics, showed that some 10 per cent. of remanded men, 7 per cent. of sentenced men and 14 per cent. of all women prisoners had suffered from a functional psychosis in the past year. Some 59 per cent. of remanded men, 76 per cent. of remanded women, 40 per cent. of sentenced men and 63 per cent. of sentenced women had a neurotic disorder.
Applying these rates to the current population would indicate that around 5,300 prisoners would be suffering from a functional psychosis and around 30,000 from a neurotic disorder. Some prisoners will have both conditions.
Ashfield Prison
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on staff recruitment and retentions at HMP Ashfield; and if he will list the numbers and types of staff vacancies at HMP Ashfield. [26483]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 11 January 2002]: Staff turnover at Ashfield prison and young offender institution has been similar to that experienced at Premier Custodial Group's other contracts at the same stage of development and is broadly in line with their expectations. The contractor has found that as contracts move out of the start-up and initial development phase, turnover reduces. It is expected Ashfield will follow a similar pattern.
As at 10 January 2002, there were 31 vacancies at Ashfield, of which 17 were for prisoner custody officers (PCOs). On 18 January 2002, 20 PCOs will have completed their training and take up post. Interviews are in hand to recruit the remainder.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the director of HMP Ashfield is on a permanent contract; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the departure of his predecessor; [26482]
- (2) if he will list the directors of HMP Ashfield since it was opened and the dates between which each was employed. [26481]
14 Jan 2002 : Column 94W
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 11 January 2002]: The directors at Ashfield prison and young offender institution since it opened on 1 November 1999 have been Mr. Nicholas Pascoe who was director from 21 September 1999 to 12 November 2000 and Mr. David Bramley who was director from 16 November 2000 and resigned on 24 December 2001. A new director is currently being sought. Mr. Joseph Mullens, the Director of Operations at Premier Custodial Group, is acting director for the time being and has previously worked for the Prison Service as a governing governor.
Detective Inspector John Redgrave
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2001, Official Report, column 230W, on Detective Inspector John Redgrave, when the letter of 25 April was received by the solicitor in the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Legal Services. [24094]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 19 December 2001]: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that a copy of the letter, dated 25 April 2001, was received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Directorate of Legal Services on or about 27 April 2001 and they gave preliminary advice to the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) in May. However, before a detailed reply to the letter could be provided, it was necessary for the DPS to consider other issues and to seek further legal advice.
Dungavel Detention Centre
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether employees of local authorities who carry out duties within Dungavel Detention Centre have had (a) fingerprints and (b) photographs of them taken. [26684]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 11 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 709W.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |