Previous Section Index Home Page


Long Lartin Prison

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on recruitment and retention of prison officers and other staff at Long Lartin prison. [36767]

Beverley Hughes: As at January 2002 Long Lartin prison had a total number of 514.5 unified staff against a target of 517 and 140.5 non-unified staff against a target of 141.5. The small number of vacancies will be filled shortly.

Long Lartin is located in a low unemployment area and while housing costs are rising this has not caused any significant problems with recruitment. Equally there is no difficulty recruiting other members of staff, with the possible exception of civilian works staff.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1248W

Arrests

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the time taken by police officers to complete the paperwork and processes necessary after arresting an individual; and what estimate he has made of the changes in that time associated with new (a) legislation, (b) regulations and (c) Government guidance since 1997. [36582]

Mr. Denham: On 1 November 2001, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary published PA Consulting's study "Diary of a Police Officer" which had considered what more could be done to free police officers from unnecessary paperwork and other obstacles which prevent them from spending more time in public. The study found that officers were spending 43.1 per cent. of their time in the police station.

In the White Paper "Policing a New Century" (CM 5326), published on 5 December 2001, my right hon. Friend announced that he was setting up a task force, chaired by Sir David O'Dowd, to consider how to take forward the recommendations in this, and other, relevant reports, in order to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on the police.

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual arrests were carried out by police forces in England and Wales during each of the last three years for which records are available. [36581]

Mr. Denham: Information given in the table is for arrests for notifiable offences within the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01. Information for earlier years is not available on a consistent basis.

Persons arrested for notifiable offences recorded by the police by police force area, 1999–00 and 2000/01
England and Wales

Police force area1999–20002000–01
Avon and Somerset21,85627,156
Bedfordshire13,01114,541
Cambridgeshire12,41812,153
Cheshire18,20216,959
Cleveland20,52118,019
Cumbria15,56813,226
Derbyshire18,49917,848
Devon and Cornwall24,60925,658
Dorset12,47111,002
Durham(53)(53)
Essex24,40526,581
Gloucestershire11,35211,155
Greater Manchester73,36668,803
Hampshire42,59839,420
Hertfordshire14,11515,749
Humberside(53)26,766
Kent34,68430,360
Lancashire37,53536,998
Leicestershire17,99917,800
Lincolnshire20,70016,618
London, City of(53)4,286
Merseyside44,31545,598
Metropolitan police202,218180,634
Norfolk16,31315,461
Northamptonshire12,73011,598
Northumbria47,29541,150
North Yorkshire20,35318,319
Nottinghamshire33,00132,707
South Yorkshire34,72733,573
Staffordshire(53)(53)
Suffolk10,78710,706
Surrey12,99315,590
Sussex24,18330,302
Thames Valley43,73844,575
Warwickshire8,3777,073
West Mercia21,17218,235
West Midlands78,59291,685
West Yorkshire44,80062,410
Wiltshire10,49810,031
Dyfed-Powys14,05713,036
Gwent27,82924,642
North Wales12,65314,843
South Wales(53)34,838
England and Wales(54)1,277,9001,264,200

(53) Not available

(54) Estimated


26 Feb 2002 : Column 1249W

Volunteering

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made following the announcement in January 2001 of a package to develop volunteering; and if he will make a statement. [36382]

Angela Eagle: As part of the 2000 spending review settlement, the Government announced an extra £300 million for volunteering initiatives over three years, 2001–02 to 2003–04. £60 million was available to other Government Departments for match funding in supporting the use of volunteers in public sector services. The funding is worth a total of £120 million over three years when matched. 24 proposals were approved and are currently on course to involve an additional 290,000 volunteers in public service delivery by the end of March 2004.

Proposals for a second round of funding will be taken forward shortly.

A Mentoring Programme has been established which is providing: funding to develop the mentoring infrastructure; more money for mentoring already going on in local communities; and seven one-stop-shops for mentoring to be known as Mentor Points.

In addition, the Experience Corps Company has been established which, with funding of some £20 million, has started the roll-out (in November 2001) of an initiative aimed at encouraging a quarter of a million people aged 50 and over to become or remain active in their communities.

Working Conditions and Practices

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress, and at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress, and at what cost, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [35929]

Angela Eagle: Information on sickness absence and compensation payments due to 'work-related' stress are not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1250W

The Department, however, monitors through its staff surveys factors relating to work place stress including work load and working conditions. The Department has taken action to address some of the main identified factors, including improving communication arrangements and filling vacancies. The Home Office is committed to supporting staff in achieving a balance between their work and home responsibilities and has a range of flexible working patterns to help staff achieve this.

A welfare service is available and offers personal support for staff suffering from any form of stress. In addition, stress awareness workshops are available to staff and managers. Information on how to recognise stress and suggested coping strategies, is accessible via the Home Office Intranet; leaflets entitled "Stress and You", are also available.

The Department is aware of its obligations to provide a safe working environment and takes steps to ensure that it meets the requirements of health and safety legislation.

Youth Offending Teams

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who inspects the functioning of youth offending teams; and if he will make a statement. [35532]

Beverley Hughes: The operation of youth offending teams and the programmes they run are subject to a range of independent evaluation and monitoring commissioned and operated by the Youth Justice Board. The Board is also developing a tool to help them measure the effectiveness of youth offending teams' services. Evaluation of the pilot youth offending teams and the new final warnings scheme has been published by Sheffield university, and are available in the Library. Evaluations of the new intervention programmes will be published this spring.

Two youth offending team inspections have been carried out by multi-disciplinary inspection teams. The Home Office, in consultation with the Youth Justice Board, is developing a strategy for new independent inspection arrangements.

City of London Corporation (Events)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those functions, engagements and events which Ministers, his officials and advisers have attended which have been sponsored, funded, promoted and hosted by the City of London Corporation since 1997. [35703]

Angela Eagle: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, broken down by nationality, on (a) temporary admission and (b) temporary release, applied for leave to enter on the grounds of marriage in each year from 1995 to the latest convenient date in 2001; and how many such applications in each year were (i) granted and (ii) refused. [35548]

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1251W

Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table.

The information relates to decisions on applications for leave to remain on the basis of marriage, by main nationality for 1995 to 2000, the latest year available.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1252W

Data for 2001 are due to be published in the summer this year. It is not possible to identify how many of the decisions were made in cases were the applicant was on temporary admission or release.

Grants and refusal of extensions of leave to remain(55) in the United Kingdom on the basis of marriage(56) by nationality, excluding EEA Nationals, 1995–2000

1995 1996
GrantsRefusalsTotal decisionsGrantsRefusalsTotal decisions
All nationalities17,5601,59019,15017,0601,41018,470
Europe (excluding EEA)
Bulgaria60(61)6070(61)80
Cyprus120(61)120150(61)150
Former Czechoslovakia150(61)150200(61)200
of which:
Czech Republic(57)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Slovakia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Hungary100(61)1009090
Malta30302020
Poland3601037037020400
Romania150(61)150140(61)140
Switzerland808090(61)90
Turkey5504059057030600
Former USSR3701038044010460
of which:
Estonia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Latvia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Lithuania(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Russia(58)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Ukraine(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Other Former USSR(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Former Yugoslavia5001051041020430
of which:(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Croatia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Slovenia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Yugoslavia(59)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Other Former Yugoslavia(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)(62)
Other Europe20202020
Europe (excluding EEA)2,500802,5802,580902,670
Americas
Argentina40(61)403030
Barbados404040(61)40
Brazil40010410360(61)370
Canada28010290370(61)370
Chile303030(61)30
Colombia1301014015010160
Guyana100101108010100
Jamaica790160950660110770
Mexico70(61)706060
Peru50(61)5070(61)70
Trinidad and Tobago12010130120(61)130
USA1,340101,3501,320101,330
Venezuela40(61)404040
Other Americas220(61)220190(61)190
Americas3,6502203,8703,5201603,680
Africa
Algeria4103044043030460
Angola20(61)20(61)(61)10
Congo (Dem. Rep.)(60)20(61)20120120
Egypt11010120601060
Ethiopia4040700(61)700
Ghana8702001,070210180390
Kenya25030280302050
Libya2020180(61)180
Mauritius2102023025020270
Morocco240402801,170301,200
Nigeria1,3503901,740300310620
Sierra Leone32010042030120140
Somalia20(61)20590(61)600
South Africa42010430401050
Sudan60(61)60110(61)110
Tanzania100(61)100401050
Tunisia50(61)504040
Uganda40105020(61)20
Zambia801090701080
Zimbabwe1202014012020130
Other Africa3004034031050360
Africa5,0309105,9404,8208405,660
Asia
Indian sub-continent
Bangladesh3803041037030410
India1,150601,2201,110601,170
Pakistan1,0701501,2209701201,090
Indian sub-continent2,6102502,8602,4502102,660
Middle East
Iran14010150130(61)130
Iraq50(61)5040(61)50
Israel140(61)140130130
Jordan404040(61)40
Kuwait(61)(61)(61)(61)
Lebanon80(61)809010100
Saudi Arabia10101010
Syria40(61)4040(61)40
Yemen30(61)303030
Other Middle East202020(61)30
Middle East5602058054020560
Remainder of Asia
China220(61)220190(61)200
Hong Kong2901030026010270
Indonesia40403030
Japan30010310360(61)360
Malaysia2602028021010220
Philippines3601037033010340
Singapore70(61)7050(61)50
South Korea30(61)304040
Sri Lanka1202014017010180
Taiwan202030(61)30
Thailand2101022021010220
Other Asia60(61)6070(61)70
Remainder of Asia1,990902,0801,970602,030
Asia5,1503505,5004,9603005,260
Oceania
Australia701071067010680
New Zealand33010340340(61)350
Other Oceania10(61)1010(61)10
Oceania1,040201,0601,020101,030
British Overseas citizens40(61)4060(61)60
Nationality unknown1501016010010110
All nationalities (excluding EEA)17,5601,59019,15017,0601,41018,470

(55) Excludes dependants of principal applicants, the outcome of appeals and withdrawn applications.

(56) Includes unmarried partners from 1997.

(57) Includes Czechoslovak passport holders.

(58) Includes Soviet Union passport holders.

(59) Includes holders of passports of the former Yugoslavia.

(60) The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire.

Note:

Data rounded to the nearest 10 with

(61) — = 5 or fewer

(62) — not available


26 Feb 2002 : Column 1253W

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nationals of (a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Bangladesh, (d) Ghana, (e) Nigeria, (f) Malaysia, (g) Jamaica, (h) Zimbabwe and (j) Kenya, (i) applied for, (ii) were granted and (iii) were refused leave to remain in the UK on the ground of marriage in (A) 2000 and (B) 2001 to the latest convenient date; and how many people of each nationality applied (1) within

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1254W

their permitted leave and (2) after their leave had expired. [35547]

Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table.

The information relates to decisions on applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of marriage. The latest available data are for the period January to December 2000.

26 Feb 2002 : Column 1255W

It is not possible to identify how many of the decisions were made in cases where that applicant did not have current leave to remain at the time of application.

Grants and refusals of extensions of leave to remain(63) in the United Kingdom on the basis of marriage(64), excluding European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, 2000

Number of decisions
GrantsRefusalsTotal
India1,640401,680
Pakistan1,380601,440
Bangladesh38020400
Ghana70060760
Nigeria1,5203001,820
Malaysia37010380
Jamaica2,2001302,330
Zimbabwe27010280
Kenya37020390
Total8,8306409,470

(63) Excludes dependants of principal applicants, the outcome of appeals and withdrawn applications.

(64) Includes unmarried partners.

Notes:

1. Totals may not sum due to rounding. This is because all calculations are based on unrounded figures to ensure accuracy.

2. Data rounded to nearest 10



Next Section Index Home Page