House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 22 Jul 2002 (pt 39)

Prison Suicides

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides of (a) women and (b) men occurred in prison in England in the (i) last six years and (ii) most recent year for which figures are available. [70609]

Hilary Benn: The information requested is given in the table.

Number of self-inflicted deaths for males and females in prisons in England and Wales, 1996 to 2002⁽²⁵⁾

Male Female Total

1996 62 2 64

1997 65 3 68

1998 80 3 83

1999 86 5 91

2000 73 8 81

2001 67 6 73

2002⁽²⁶⁾ 44 3 47

Total 853 39 892

	Male	Female	Total
1996	62	2	64
1997	65	3	68
1998	80	3	83
1999	86	5	91
2000	73	8	81
2001	67	6	73
2002⁽²⁶⁾	44	3	47

Total	853	39	892

⁽²⁵⁾ To 15 July 2002

⁽²⁶⁾ To date

The Prison Service employs the term "self-inflicted death" (which includes all those deaths where it appears that the person may have acted specifically to take his/her own life) rather than suicide.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1239W, on prison hospital suicides, if he will make a statement on the timetable for the Prison Service review of the suicide prevention strategy; and what progress has been made. [68261]

22 Jul 2002 : Column 829W

Hilary Benn [holding answer 5 July 2002]: The Prison Service suicide prevention strategy was reviewed in 2000 and my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw), the then Home Secretary, announced the launch of the new three-year suicide and self-harm strategy in February 2001. Work on the development of the new strategy started in April 2001 and will run to March 2004.

One of the projects currently being developed as part of the new strategy is the Care of Prisoners project. This project includes a review of procedures for prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm (the F2052SH system) referred to in the answer to my right hon. Friend's question of 26 February. A new process for managing at risk prisoners is being developed and will be piloted in the autumn.

Police Stations

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many functioning police stations there were, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area, in each year since 1997. [42371]

Mr. Denham: Chief constables have provided information on the number of police stations functioning in the years since 1997. This is given in the table. Police and local authority areas now coincide.

Comprehensive information is available for the three years to March 2000, March 2001 and March 2002, but in some cases forces were unable to provide data for earlier years. This is reflected in the table.

Police station numbers 1997–2002

Force: at March 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Avon and Somerset 35 36 39 39 41 42

Bedfordshire — — — 11 10 9

Cambridgeshire 29 28 25 25 24 24

Cheshire 38 38 36 33 35 35

City of London 2 2 2 2 2 2

Cleveland 24 23 22 22 22 22

Cumbria 34 34 24 24 24 25

Derbyshire — — — 25 27 25

Devon and Cornwall 71 68 68 65 65 64

Dorset 27 27 26 26 25 25

Durham 40 40 40 40 40 38

Dyfed-Powys 44 47 48 48 48 48

Essex⁽²⁷⁾ 114 114 114 72 57 55

Gloucestershire 62 63 59 47 42 40

Greater Manchester 82 74 70 70 68 68

Gwent — 57 52 56 49 49

Hampshire 104 102 94 92 89 89

Hertfordshire⁽²⁷⁾ 23 23 23 21 25 25

Humberside 35 36 34 33 33 32

Kent 32 32 32 32 30 30

Lancashire 109 108 108 108 107 106

Leicestershire 28 28 28 30 30 30

Lincolnshire 43 42 42 42 42 41

Metropolitan⁽²⁷⁾ — — — 156 144 148

Merseyside 52 51 50 44 43 43

Norfolk — — — 42 42 45

Northamptonshire 12 12 12 12 12 12

Northumbria — — — 36 36 36

North Wales — — — 54 52 51

North Yorkshire — — — 35 35 35

Nottinghamshire 64 42 42 44 46 47

South Wales 138 137 136 125 122 119

South Yorkshire 84 86 82 80 77 75

Staffordshire 39 38 38 38 38 38

Suffolk 27 28 28 28 28 28

Surrey⁽²⁷⁾ 30 28 26 22 28 29

Sussex 34 34 35 36 36 35

Thames Valley 53 47 55 55 51 53

Warwickshire 15 15 15 15 15 15

West Mercia 53 53 53 53 53 53

West Midlands 72 70 69 68 68 69

West Yorkshire — — — 40 40 40

Wiltshire 28 26 24 24 24 24

Totals ⁽²⁸⁾1,677 2>1,689 ⁽²⁸⁾1,651 1,970 1,925 1,919

Force: at March	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Avon and Somerset	35	36	39	39	41	42
Bedfordshire	—	—	—	11	10	9
Cambridgeshire	29	28	25	25	24	24
Cheshire	38	38	36	33	35	35
City of London	2	2	2	2	2	2
Cleveland	24	23	22	22	22	22
Cumbria	34	34	24	24	24	25
Derbyshire	—	—	—	25	27	25
Devon and Cornwall	71	68	68	65	65	64
Dorset	27	27	26	26	25	25
Durham	40	40	40	40	40	38
Dyfed-Powys	44	47	48	48	48	48
Essex⁽²⁷⁾	114	114	114	72	57	55
Gloucestershire	62	63	59	47	42	40
Greater Manchester	82	74	70	70	68	68
Gwent	—	57	52	56	49	49
Hampshire	104	102	94	92	89	89
Hertfordshire⁽²⁷⁾	23	23	23	21	25	25
Humberside	35	36	34	33	33	32
Kent	32	32	32	32	30	30
Lancashire	109	108	108	108	107	106
Leicestershire	28	28	28	30	30	30
Lincolnshire	43	42	42	42	42	41
Metropolitan⁽²⁷⁾	—	—	—	156	144	148
Merseyside	52	51	50	44	43	43
Norfolk	—	—	—	42	42	45
Northamptonshire	12	12	12	12	12	12
Northumbria	—	—	—	36	36	36
North Wales	—	—	—	54	52	51
North Yorkshire	—	—	—	35	35	35
Nottinghamshire	64	42	42	44	46	47
South Wales	138	137	136	125	122	119
South Yorkshire	84	86	82	80	77	75
Staffordshire	39	38	38	38	38	38
Suffolk	27	28	28	28	28	28
Surrey⁽²⁷⁾	30	28	26	22	28	29
Sussex	34	34	35	36	36	35
Thames Valley	53	47	55	55	51	53
Warwickshire	15	15	15	15	15	15

West Mercia	53	53	53	53	53	53
West Midlands	72	70	69	68	68	69
West Yorkshire	—	—	—	40	40	40
Wiltshire	28	26	24	24	24	24
Totals	⁽²⁸⁾1,677	2>1,689	⁽²⁸⁾1,651	1,970	1,925	1,919

⁽²⁷⁾ The apparent loss of 12 stations by the Metropolitan police service between March 2000 and March 2001 reflects transfers to boundary forces in April 2000; Essex (2), Herts (4) and Surrey (6).

⁽²⁸⁾ Individual force figures are given where available. Some forces are unable to provide numbers for years before March 2000.

22 Jul 2002 : Column 830W

Police Numbers (London)

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra police officers have been drafted into London after the events of 11 September. [28935]

Mr. Denham: The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis informs me that no officers were drafted into London from other forces following the events of September 11. However, officers from all London boroughs were deployed to meet security needs. Crime statistics published on 12 July (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 07/02) showed that, in the period following this redeployment of officers, there were falls in recorded burglary in Westminster and rises in outer London boroughs. A less marked effect was seen in relation to levels of vehicle crime, but there was no noticeable impact on robbery in Westminster during the same period. Operational deployment is a matter for the Commissioner.

Jurors

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has commissioned on (a) improper influence of jurors and (b) intimidation of jurors. [67653]

Hilary Benn: No recent research has been commissioned on the improper influence and intimidation of jurors. The Home Office has commissioned more general research into juries and jurors' experiences and perceptions of the criminal justice system. A report is scheduled for publication later this year.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been made in south Tyneside. [3070]

Mr. Denham: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are community-based civil orders, which can be applied for by the police or local authority, in consultation with each other against an individual or several individuals whose behaviour is antisocial. Applications are to the magistrates court acting in its civil capacity.

ASBOs were introduced from 1 April 1999. The data given in the table cover the period up to the end of December 2001 (latest available).

We are currently considering whether any further checks are needed to ensure the accuracy of the number of ASBOs reported.

Number of antisocial behaviour orders issued, as reported to the Home Office, from 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2001 within Northumbria by local government authority

Area 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000⁽²⁹⁾ 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 Total

Police force area/MCC⁽³⁰⁾

Northumbria 8 5 5 18

Local government authority

Gateshead MB ⁽³¹⁾— 3 — 3

Newcastle-upon-Tyne ⁽³¹⁾— — 2 2

North Tyneside ⁽³¹⁾— — 2 2

South Tyneside ⁽³¹⁾— 1 1 2

Sunderland, City of ⁽³¹⁾— 1 — 1

Area	1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000⁽²⁹⁾	1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000	1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001	Total
Police force area/MCC⁽³⁰⁾
Northumbria	8	5	5	18
Local government authority
Gateshead MB	⁽³¹⁾—	3	—	3
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	⁽³¹⁾—	—	2	2
North Tyneside	⁽³¹⁾—	—	2	2
South Tyneside	⁽³¹⁾—	1	1	2
Sunderland, City of	⁽³¹⁾—	1	—	1

⁽²⁹⁾ Total figure available only for Northumbria police force area within this period. Local government authority not known.

⁽³⁰⁾ MCC—magistrates courts committee area.

⁽³¹⁾ Not available.

22 Jul 2002 : Column 831W

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he plans to publish a report on the use and effectiveness of ASBOs; [37773]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 27 February 2002]: A commitment was made to Parliament during the passage of the Crime and Disorder Bill to review the antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) after two years. A review, covering their use and effectiveness, has been undertaken and will be published shortly.

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