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Data Protection
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the draft codes of practice which relate to the use and retention of communications data as defined in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; if he has revised his estimates on the costs to industry of the retention of such data; and if he will make a statement as to why the draft code of practice which relates to retention of communications data has not yet been issued. [59265]
Mr. Blunkett: The codes of practice relating to the access and retention of communications data are being developed in consultation with communications providers, the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies and the Interception and Information Commissioners respectively. A draft of the access code will be laid before Parliament shortly, and a retention code will be issued for public consultation. Discussions with communications providers are forming the basis of the Government's assessment of the cost of retention.
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Youth Offending
Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to tackle persistent youth offending. [57064]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 10 June 2002]: We have given the courts new secure remand and tagging powers for 12 to 16-year-olds who repeatedly offend on bail. Both started in the 10 street crime priority areas on 22 April. Tagging started in the rest of the country on 1 June 2002, and secure remands will start on 16 September 2002.
We have also delivered the youth justice pledge by halving the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders; funding the Youth Justice Board's intensive supervision and surveillance programmes for the most prolific offenders; and we have introduced the detention and training order for persistent and more serious young offenders.
Devolution
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to transfer the administration of reserved powers and functions of his Department, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies within its remit from his Department to the Scotland Office; [59513]
- (2) how many representations the Scottish Executive has made to his Department since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive Department, (b) subject and (c) date; [59514]
(3) how many times his office has made representations to the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Department approached, (b) subject and (c) date. [59515]
Mr. Blunkett: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 600W.
Yarl's Wood
Mr. Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) of those detainees who were present at Yarl's Wood Immigration Detention Centre on the evening of 14 February and who had been removed from Britain as of Tuesday 21 May, how many were due to be questioned by the police as part of the criminal investigation into the disturbances at Yarl's Wood but were not questioned before removal; [59218]
- (2) of those detainees who were present at Yarl's Wood Immigration Detention Centre on the evening of 14 February and who had been removed from Britain as of Tuesday 21 May, how many had been questioned by the police as part of the criminal investigation into the disturbances at Yarl's Wood. [59250]
Beverley Hughes: The questioning of detainees by the police as part of the criminal investigation into the disturbances at Yarl's Wood is a matter for Bedfordshire police.
Information about subsequent removals is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by an examination of individual case files.
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Haslar Detention Centre
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the road signs directing the public to Haslar Detention Centre have been replaced by signs reading Immigration Removal Centre Haslar; and whether these changes reflect a change of purpose for the establishment. [60398]
Beverley Hughes: We announced our intention to redesignate existing detention centres as "Removal Centres" in the recent White Paper, Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with diversity in modern Britain. There is provision in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill currently before Parliament to amend references to detention centres in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and elsewhere so as to formally reflect their change of name to removal centres.
This change will reinforce the key part these centres play in the removal of failed asylum seekers and others. There are no substantive changes to the provisions relating to the purpose and operation of these centres.
Prison Service
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the fines imposed on private sector contractors within the Prison Service for not meeting targets have been (a) paid and (b) overturned on appeal in each of the last three years. [58389]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 23 May 2002]: The number of fines imposed in the last three years is as follows:
- 1999–2000: 11
2000–01: 7
2001–02: 3.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by the Prison Service in each of the last five years. [58391]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 23 May 2002]: The information is contained the table:
| Prison Service staff in post | |
|---|---|
| 31 March 1997 | 39,629 |
| 31 March 1998 | 41,056 |
| 31 March 1999 | 42,683 |
| 31 March 2000 | 43,683 |
| 31 March 2001 | 43,800 |
| 31 March 2002 | 44,463 |
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have left the service within (a) one year and (b) two years of starting in each of the last five years. [58390]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 23 May 2002]: The information is contained the table. Reliable leavers information including date of recruitment is not available before June 1998.
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| Left within one year of recruitment | Left within up to two years of recruitment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99(27) | 41 | 65 |
| 1999–2000 | 61 | 98 |
| 2000–01 | 46 | 93 |
| 2001–02 | 32 | 107 |
(27) June 1998 to March 1999 only.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff (a) were recruited to and (b) left the Prison Service in each of the last five years. [58392]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 23 May 2002]: The information, which includes casual staff, is contained in the table.
| Recruits | Leavers | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 4,732 | (28)— |
| 1998–99 | 4,144 | 2,817 |
| 1999–2000 | 4,419 | 3,316 |
| 2000–01 | 3,466 | 3,812 |
| 2001–02 | 4,337 | 4,211 |
(28) Reliable information on leavers during 1997–98 is not available.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is given to ease of access for family visits in placing prisoners. [58843]
Hilary Benn: All prison establishments are required to consider a number of factors when placing a prisoner, one of which is the home area of prisoners and their visitors.
The Prison Service places great importance on prisoners having regular and productive visits in order to maintain close and meaningful ties with their families as part of their effective rehabilitation.
However, high population levels throughout the prison estate can lead to prisoners being transferred from their home area to prison establishments with a greater number of vacancies to create capacity for remand prisoners within those prisons that serve the courts.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners in each prison are (a) married or in long-term relationships, (b) have children under 18 and (c) both. [58842]
Hilary Benn: On reception into prison all prisoners are asked about their marital status. They cannot be required to provide this information. As of 24 May, 10,786 male prisoners and 571 female prisoners described themselves as married or cohabiting. This amounts to 16 per cent. of the prison population. The information is not available by individual establishment. Information about prisoners with children is not collated. However, surveys suggest that about 60 per cent. of prisoners have children of whom about half have dependent children.
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