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Western General Hospital, Swindon

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 671W, on Western General hospital, Swindon, what hospital equipment is purchased (a) centrally and (b) by each trust; what budgetary controls he exercises over equipment purchases for new hospitals; what recent discussion he has had with the trust responsible for the new Swindon hospital about equipment purchases; and if he will make a statement about the procedure used to purchase the equipment for the Western General hospital at Swindon. [31007]

Ms Blears [holding answer 28 January 2002]: Equipment purchases are the responsibility of individual national health service trusts who are expected to obtain best value for money. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency does however negotiate national contracts on behalf of the NHS where these contracts produce value for money and genuine savings. It is then up to each individual trust to purchase its own equipment according to its needs. The only recent example of centrally purchased equipment is that provided for cancer care funded from the New Opportunities Fund.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with Swindon and Marlborough NHS trust about equipment purchases. Approximately £8 million of public money has been made available for the purchase of equipment for the Great Western hospital, Swindon

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by the Swindon and Marlborough NHS trust. The procurement procedure for the equipment is a matter for the trust.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the interim reply of 15 January 2002 (ref: PQ 4078/2001/2002), when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 28 November 2001 (ref: POOO1146 (27311)). [31287]

Ms Blears: I shall ensure that my hon. Friend receives a reply to his letter as soon as possible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been issued to date (a) in total and (b) in each crime and disorder partnership; and if he will make a statement. [27640]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 15 January 2002]: Figures for the number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) are not held centrally as they are an informal measure, however we are aware that they are being used by many police forces and local authorities throughout the country. The Government recognise the effectiveness of this and other measures in turning round behaviour at the earliest opportunity and in our White Paper on police reform we encourage their widespread use and recognise the role that they can play in supporting the antisocial behaviour order process in preventing antisocial behaviour.

Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the internment provision of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; on which day each was arrested; which have been appealed; what progress has been made in each appeal; and if he will make a statement. [28324]

Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 22 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 January 2002 to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin), Official Report, column 350W.

Appeals are proceeding in relation to each of those detained before the Special Immigration Appeal Commission. A directions hearing was held on 28 January and a substantive hearing will be set in due course.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those detained under the recent Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, indicating the reason why each one has been detained. [29230]

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many certificates he has issued using his powers under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; if he will profile those persons detained by (a) country of origin, (b) nationality,

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(c) gender, (d) those over and under 18 years of age, (e) religious belief and (f) language spoken; and at what location detained persons have been held. [29253]

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under Section 4 of the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001; and how many remain detained. [28670]

Mr. Blunkett: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave on 16 January 2002 to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin), Official Report, column 350W.

Appeals are proceeding in relation to each of those detained before the Special Immigration Appeal Commission. A directions hearing was held on 28 January and a substantive hearing will be set in due course.

Errol Flynn

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to place in the Public Records Office (a) the MI5 files and (b) other records relating to Errol Flynn; and if he will make a statement. [29231]

Mr. Blunkett: The Security Service systematically reviews and where appropriate releases historical records to the Public Record Office in accordance with the criteria agreed with them and endorsed by the Advisory Council.

The Security Service has reviewed and released all archived files covering the First World War. Moving on to the Second World War, the second phase in its release programme, the service released in November 2001 its fourth tranche of files on the period up to the end of that war. The service is reviewing its inter-war records in preparation for further releases. It will then move on to the period after the Second World War. If there is any record about Errol Flynn, it will be reviewed as part of this process. The timing of this depends on the resources that the Service is able to devote to the process.

The Home Office can find no other documents about Errol Flynn.

Probation Service

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there will be a public sector comparator in respect of the tendering for Probation Service Facilities Management Services and if the details will be published; what the estimated costs are of the procurement process in respect of the tendering of Probation Service Facilities Management Services; whether there is a better quality services review in respect of the arrangements; whether the employee status of relevant Probation Service staff would change following successful tendering of these services; and if he will make a statement. [28783]

Beverley Hughes: Although a public sector comparator is primarily used in Public Private Partnerships/Private Finance Initiative (PPP/PFI) type procurements, which Probation Services Facilities Management is not, it is planned to seek to use it to test whether any proposed contract represents good value for money. It is not planned to publish the details. The costs of the procurement process for tendering facilities management services is subsumed within the overall costs of arranging

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facilities and estates management services for the new national service and are therefore not separately identifiable. The principles of a better quality services review are being applied as appropriate. Should services currently provided by Probation Service staff in the future be provided by other organisations the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations (TUPE) would determine whether employee status would change. This would need to be assessed on an individual basis.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the National Probation Service will put Probation Service Facilities Management Services out to tender; when the outline business case for tendering Probation Service Facilities Management Services was published; when the final business case for the tendering of Probation Facilities Management Services will be published; if he will place a copy in the Library; whether the notice for tendering Probation Facilities Management Services was placed in the Official Journal of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [28782]

Beverley Hughes: It is planned to put out to tender the National Probation Service's (NPS) facilities management functions in a phased manner between January 2002 and August 2002. The outline business case for the management of NPS property, which incorporated facilities management, has not been published and it is not normal practice to publish business cases or make them widely available during a procurement process. A notice for facilities management services was despatched on 27 November 2001 for placing in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Young Offenders

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specialist (a) support and (b) therapy programmes are available for young offenders to help them address the underlying problems of their actions. [28766]

Beverley Hughes: Juveniles receiving final warnings or sentenced to community or custodial orders undergo rehabilitation programmes designed to address their offending behaviour and give them skills which will help them avoid getting into trouble again. The programmes include family support, treatment for alcohol and drugs abuse and assessment for mental health needs.

For young adults the National Probation Service draws up supervision plans to address individuals' needs, including specialist counselling and support.

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