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Metropolitan Police Trainees
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trainee Metropolitan Police officers have had their 18 weeks' training extended to allow them to repeat written and practical assessments in each year since 1997; how much this has cost; and if he will make a statement. [58559]
Mr. Denham: The Commissioner of Police the Metropolis Police has provided the information in the following table:
| Year ended | Number of officers who have had their training extended | Representing percentage of overall number of officers trained |
|---|---|---|
| 31 December 1997 | (32)— | n/a |
| 31 December 1998 | 33 | 2.6 |
| 31 December 1999 | 39 | 3.2 |
| 31 December 2000 | 76 | 7 |
| 31 December 2001 | 310 | 14 |
(32) Figures not available
There are two reasons for the increase in the number of officers who have had their training extended in the years
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ending December 2000 and 2001. There has been a significant increase in the numbers of new recruits to the Metropolitan Police Service, and the training school now places more emphasis on helping those officers who do not achieve the required standard within 18 weeks to achieve the appropriate level of competence by extending the basic training period. This is more efficient and cost effective than the previous approach, where it was more generally the case that the force would dispense with the services of officers failing to meet the required standard by the end of the 18-week foundation training course.
Police (Negotiations)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timing of the publication of the conciliation details following negotiations with the Police Federation, on his Department's website; and what negotiations he has had with the Police Negotiating Board as a result. [54886]
Mr. Denham: On 24 October 2001, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary asked the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) to explore and agree a package to modernise police pay and conditions of service. On 27 December 2001, the PNB reached agreement in principle, subject to ratification by all parties following consultation with their members. On 25 February, PNB failed to ratify the agreement reached on 27 December 2001. As required by the PNB Constitution, a period of conciliation followed. On 26 April, the conciliators for the official and staff sides of the PNB agreed on a recommendation for settlement. The details of the recommended conciliated settlement were placed on the Home Office website on the same day.
Under the PNB Constitution, the conciliated settlement recommended by the conciliators for both sides has to be ratified by the full PNB. PNB meetings took place on 1 and 9 May. At the meeting on 9 May, the recommended conciliated settlement was ratified.
Prisoners (Feltham)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many qualified teachers are employed at Feltham Young Offenders Institute on (a) full-time permanent contracts, (b) part-time permanent contracts, (c) full-time temporary contracts, (d) part-time temporary contracts and (e) agency basis; and if he will make a statement. [67310]
Hilary Benn: At Feltham, there are currently 14 teachers, including the head and deputies, on full-time permanent contracts. There are 30 teachers on part-time permanent contracts and two on full time temporary contracts.
There are no teachers at Feltham on part-time temporary contracts, nor are any employed on an agency basis.
Domestic Violence
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases involving domestic violence have been brought to court in each of the past five years; [59855]
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- (2) how many men have been convicted of offences connected with domestic violence in each of the past five years. [59851]
Mr. Denham: Offences involving domestic violence are not identifiable on the Home Office Court Proceedings database as no specific statute covers such offences.
Prosecutions brought might range from common assault to homicide depending on the level of violence, and as the circumstances of the offences for which prosecutions are brought are not collected centrally, offences involving domestic violence cannot be distinguished from other offences within these categories.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consultation he intends to undertake in respect of guidance to police authorities on dealing with perpetrators of domestic violence within their ranks; [60449]
- (2) when he intends to publish guidance to police authorities on dealing with perpetrators of domestic violence within their ranks. [60452]
Mr. Denham: Work is in progress, in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), to produce guidance to police authorities on dealing with perpetrators of domestic violence within police ranks. A target date will be set for issuing the guidance once the new ACPO lead takes up his post and consultation will take place with relevant bodies once the guidance is drafted. In addition to this, work is being undertaken on ensuring that police discipline procedures complement any guidance to be issued. Some police forces already have procedures in place to ensure they respond effectively to any indication that police staff may be perpetrating domestic violence and evidence of good practice may be incorporated into the guidance where appropriate.
Press Office
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full time equivalents were employed by his press office and (b) secondees were placed in his press office in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [70541]
Mr. Blunkett: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 397W which detailed the number of press officers employed during the years 1997 to 2002.
Records of secondees to the press office are not routinely kept as often they are at nil cost to the Department and may only be for periods of six weeks. The press office has had over the period of time in question a number of fast stream policy officials and immigration officers on attachments to the press office, usually for periods of around six months.
Police Numbers (North-West)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time police officers there were in 1997 and each subsequent year in (a) Preston, (b) Blackburn, (c) the north west of England and (d) England; and how many there were in Lancashire in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999, and (iii) 2000. [40682]
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Mr. Denham: Information on police numbers for each force in each year since 1997 for the north-west region is set out in the table.
| Force | 1997(33) | 1998(33) | 1999(33) | 2000(33) | 2001(33) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 3,247 | 3,257 | 3,245 | 3,179 | 3,255 |
| Cheshire | 2,046 | 2,042 | 2,071 | 2,011 | 2,002 |
| Cumbria | 1,144 | 1,164 | 1,126 | 1,084 | 1,048 |
| Greater Manchester | 6,922 | 6,949 | 6,810 | 6,795 | 6,909 |
| Merseyside | 4,230 | 4,216 | 4,211 | 4,085 | 4,081 |
| Total | 17,588 | 17,216 | 17,463 | 17,154 | 17,296 |
| England | 118,459 | 118,139 | 117,195 | 115,324 | 116,549 |
(33) As at 31 March.
Note:
Figures are for full-time equivalent strength.
I understand from the Chief Constable that Preston is part of Central (D) Division of Lancashire Constabulary and that Blackburn is part of Eastern (E) Division. It is not possible to separate police strength for Blackburn and Preston from divisional strength. Information for the strength of these divisions has been provided by the Chief Constable.
| Year(34) | D Division(35) | E Division (35) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 383 | 554 |
| 1998 | 382 | 552 |
| 1999 | 370 | 531 |
| 2000 | 380 | 543 |
| 2001 | 389 | 558 |
(34) As at 31 March .
(35) As at 31 January.
Note:
Figures are for full-time equivalent strength.
Police and Crime Reduction Funds
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed transfer of money from police and crime reduction funds
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to research and statistics current spending and on the (a) research and (b) evaluative projects which this funding is intended to support. [22135]
Mr. Denham: The transfer of £9.8 million from policing and crime reduction to research and statistics was a technical adjustment to place the funding in the budget of the Home Office Directorate that would be taking forward this previously agreed work. The £9.8 million breaks down as:
- £7.4 million to fund external evaluation of crime reduction initiatives; and
£2.4 million to develop the evidence base for sentencing and enforcement practices.
- Reducing burglary;
Targeted policing;
Treatment of offenders;
Drug arrest referrals;
School intervention;
Domestic violence;
Sentencing;
"Tackling Prostitution—What Works?";
Closed circuit television (CCTV); and
a range of initiatives centred on design against crime.
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