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Asylum Accommodation Centres
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the likely availability of staff for the proposed asylum accommodation centre at Throckmorton; [36768]
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- (2) what his estimate is of the (a) cost of construction and (b) running costs of each asylum accommodation centre. [36710]
Angela Eagle: The Home Office recently launched a procurement competition, under the European Commission Directives, in respect of the proposed
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Accommodation Centres. The information requested cannot be provided as it would prejudice the Home Office's ability to obtain best value for money from the competition as prospective bidders would become aware of our commercial expectations.
Work has been undertaken on behalf of the Home Office to assess economic sustainability in respect of all the sites identified as having the potential for development as an Accommodation Centre. Those assessments will be made available to local authorities as part of the planning process.
Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under section 23 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 specifying (a) the duration of each detainee's detention, (b) in how many cases the detention under section 23 has come to an end and (c) the reasons why such detention has come to an end.[38501]
Mr. Blunkett: Nine foreign nationals have so far been detained using powers in Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act. Of those detained one has left the United Kingdom voluntarily; the other eight remain in detention.
Job No: 715993 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator No 3. Date: 08/03/02
Police Station (Newark)
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for a new police station in Newark. [39203]
Mr. Denham: Decisions on the provision of police stations are matters for the Police Authority and Chief Officer.
Convention Derogations
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long he expects (a) the derogation from Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights and (b) the derogation from Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to last; and if he will make a statement. [37680]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: For as long as the United Kingdom faces a public emergency threatening the life of the nation, the limited derogation from Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) will continue to be necessary.
Prison Service
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 877W, on the Prison Service, what the additional cost will be each year of the pay review award; what proportion of the additional cost will be met from maintenance of the prison estate being re-scheduled; if he will list the maintenance projects which will be re-scheduled and the new dates; what proportion of the additional cost will be met from efficiency savings from the wider Home Office budget; if he will list the areas where efficiency savings will be made; and if he will make a statement. [37740]
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Beverley Hughes: The additional cost of the pay review award for the present Spending Review period is:
2001–02: £4.6 million
2002–03: £21.1 million
2003–04: £37.2 million
Airguns
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what licensing requirements are in place for air (a) rifles and (b) pistols held in the UK; and how many licences have been awarded each year since 1996; [38253]
- (2) what restrictions there are on air (a) rifle and (b) pistol ownership in the UK; [38252]
(3) if he will make a statement on (a) the legislation and (b) the restrictions on the use and ownership of airguns. [38245]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The law relating to the use and possession of air guns varies according to the muzzle energy of the gun concerned.
Air guns with muzzle energies below about three quarters of a foot pound are not regarded as firearms because they are not capable of inflicting a potentially lethal injury. These are generally referred to as airsoft or BB guns and do not come under the control of the Firearms Acts excepting where it is an offence to threaten other people with an imitation firearm in such a way as to cause them to believe that unlawful violence might be used against them.
Air rifles with muzzle energies between three quarters of a foot pound and 12 foot pounds and air pistols with muzzle energies between three quarters of a foot pound and six foot pounds are classed as firearms and, although they do not have to be kept on a firearm certificate, do come under the control of the Acts.
It is an offence to make a gift of an air weapon to a person under 14 years of age or to sell one to a person under 17. It is also an offence for a person under 17 to have an uncovered air weapon in a public place or for anyone, of whatever age, to have a loaded air weapon in a public place. Trespass with an air weapon is also an offence whether in a building or on open land, as is having an air weapon with intent to damage property. Having an air weapon with intent to endanger life or to resist arrest both carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Air rifles with muzzle energies greater than 12 foot pounds fall under the control of section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968 and must be kept on a police issued firearm certificate. No central record is kept of the number of air rifles kept on a firearms certificate. Air pistols with muzzle energies of greater than six foot pounds are prohibited weapons under the terms of section 5(1)(aba) of the Act and may not be possessed
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without the express authority of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. No authorities have been specifically issued for air pistols.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving the use and misuse of an airgun have been recorded each year since 1996. [38244]
- mickm
Mr. John Denham: General use of air weapons is not recorded. The number of recorded crimes in England and Wales involving air weapons in each year since 1996 is as follows:
| Year | Number of recorded crimes involving air weapons |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 7,813 |
| 1997 | 7,506 |
| 1998–991 | 8,665 |
| 1999–2000 | 10,103 |
| 2000–01 | 10,227 |
1 Year ending March. There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which expanded the offences covered, and placed a greater emphasis on counting crimes in terms of numbers of victims. Numbers of recorded crimes after this date are therefore not directly comparable with previous years.
Job No: 715993 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator No 3. Date: 08/03/02
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Prison Statistics
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners in each prison establishment in England and Wales are from minority ethnic groups. [38101]
Beverley Hughes: The population breakdown for each prison establishment in England and Wales for 31 January 2002 is given in the table.
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