House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Jul 2002 (pt 90)

Criminal Checks

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests have been received from (a) local authorities and (b) others for Criminal Reference Bureau checks on job applicants, what the (i) average and (ii) longest delay in response has been; and if he will make a statement. [69766]

Mr. Hilary Benn: As at 10 July, a total of 236,191 applications have been received by the Criminal Records Bureau for criminal record checks. Information relating to the number of applications received from local authorities and the delays in responding is not available in the format requested. I will write to my hon. Friend when the information becomes accessible.

Measures continue to be taken to overcome the early operating difficulties experienced by the Bureau, which have led to delays in responding to applications. The Criminal Records Bureau is determined to meet the high standards of service that it has made clear it will deliver to its customers, and expects to see increasing service improvements during the coming weeks.

Home Detention Curfew

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners since 1 January have been released on the home detention curfew scheme broken down by (a) homicide and attempted homicide, (b) other violence against the person, (c) drug offences, (d) assaults and (e) other offences; what the average sentence (i) received and (ii) served and the average period spent on the scheme was in respect of each offence; how many prisoners in each of the above categories have (A) breached the conditions of the curfew, (B) disappeared

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and been recaptured, (C) disappeared and remain unlawfully at large and (D) had their licences revoked with reasons; what the offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme were while on the scheme, including offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and what the offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme who committed a further offence while on the scheme that was similar in character to that for which they were originally convicted were, including offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and if he will make a statement. [69691]

Mr. Hilary Benn: I will write to the hon. Member.

Age of Consent

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is intended to lower the age of consent, following the consultation "Setting the Boundaries; Reforming the Law on Sex Offences". [69755]

Mr. Hilary Benn: The independent review body on reforming the law on sex offences recommended that the age of consent should remain at 16.

Paedophile Sex Offenders

Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of convicted paedophile sex offenders re-offended after release from prison in each of the last 10 years. [69976]

Mr. Hilary Benn: Re-offending rates are not normally measured as they rely on the self-reporting of offending by offenders. Such an approach can lead to questions over the reliability of data based on individuals' recollection and willingness to impart their offending behaviour to an official source.

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However two year reconviction rates for persons discharged from prison after serving a sentence for a sexual offence are collected and published annually in Prison Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library.

Sex Offenders Register

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women are registered on the Sex Offenders Register. [70281]

Mr. Hilary Benn: The Sex Offenders Act 1997 requires offenders cautioned for, convicted of, or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offence specified in Schedule One to the Act to provide certain details to the police. There is, however, no "register" of sex offenders, as such; nor are sex offenders subject to the requirements of the Act separately identified as such in criminal statistics.

Until recently, data on the number of sex offenders subject to the requirements of the Act was collated biannually on a national basis from the police national computer. However this arrangement has been overtaken following guidance issued by the Home Office in respect of the provisions in section 67 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. The guidance requires information about the number of sex offenders subject to

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the Act's requirements in each police area to be published on an annual basis starting in 2002. These local reports will be published over the next few weeks. A national report published on 22 July 2002 contained a consolidated total figure of 18,513 registered sex offenders in England and Wales as at 31 March 2002.

Information broken down by gender is not available.

Tobacco (Under-age Sales)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convictions relating to the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products from retail outlets to underage persons there were in the last five years in the UK; [70406]

Mr. John Denham: The information requested, relating to England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2000, is shown in the table.

Statistics for 2001 will be available in the autumn.

Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Defendants proceeded against and those found guilty at all courts of offences relating to the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to underage persons England and Wales 1996 to 2000⁽⁸⁶⁾^,⁽⁸⁷⁾

Offence description Statute Year Persons proceeded against Persons found guilty

Sale of tobacco etc. to persons under 16 Children and Young Persons Act 1933 1996 131 111

Section 7 as amended by Children and 1997 130 112

Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) 1998 166 129

Act 1991 Section 1. 1999 127 102

2000 161 134

Sale of unpackaged cigarettes Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 Section 1. 1996 6 6

1997 2 2

1998 3 2

1999 3 3

2000 1 1

Total 1996 137 117

1997 132 114

1998 169 131

1999 130 105

2000 162 135

Offence description	Statute	Year	Persons proceeded against	Persons found guilty
Sale of tobacco etc. to persons under 16	Children and Young Persons Act 1933	1996	131	111
	Section 7 as amended by Children and	1997	130	112
	Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco)	1998	166	129
	Act 1991 Section 1.	1999	127	102
		2000	161	134
Sale of unpackaged cigarettes	Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 Section 1.	1996	6	6
		1997	2	2
		1998	3	2
		1999	3	3
		2000	1	1
Total		1996	137	117
		1997	132	114
		1998	169	131
		1999	130	105
		2000	162	135

⁽⁸⁶⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.

⁽⁸⁷⁾ Staffordshire Police were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.

Paedophiles (Name Changes)

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to prevent convicted paedophiles from changing their name by (a) deed poll and (b) other legal routes. [70037]

Mr. Hilary Benn [holding answer 15 July 2002]: It is a criminal offence for a sex offender required to register under Part I of the Sex Offender Act 1997 to change his name or address and not to notify the police of this change. The maximum penalty for failure to do this is five years' imprisonment.

Alcohol (Under-Age Sales)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions relating to the sale of alcohol to underage persons (a) by retailers and (b) from licensed premises there were in the last five years in the UK. [70402]

(a)

(b)

Mr. John Denham: The available information, relating to England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2000, is shown in the table.

Statistics for 2001 will be available in the autumn.

Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Defendants proceeded against and those found guilty at all courts for offences relating to the sale of alcohol to underage persons England and Wales 1996 to 2000 ⁽⁸⁸⁾^,⁽⁸⁹⁾

Offence description Statute Year Persons proceeded against Persons found guilty

Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(1); Licensing 1996 251 119

Persons under 18 for consumption on (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule 1997 214 125

the premises (Sec. 3) para. 4(1). 1998 310 157

1999 204 115

2000 130 56

Person under 18 buying or Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(2), Licensing 1996 33 19

consuming intoxicating liquor in (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule 1997 31 24

licensed premises (Sec. 3) para. 4(2). 1998 39 24

1999 38 21

2000 24 22

Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor Licensing Act 1964, Sec. 181A(1) as added by 1996 – –

to a person under 18 Licensing Act 1988, Sec17. 1997 1 1

1998 1 1

1999 1 –

2000 2 1

Person under 18 buying or attempting Licensing Act 1964, Sec. 181A(3) as added by 1996 1 1

to buy intoxicating liquor from Licensing Act 1988, Sec. 17. 1997 1 –

wholesale premises 1998 2 1

1999 – –

2000 – –


Offence description	Statute	Year	Persons proceeded against	Persons found guilty
Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to	Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(1); Licensing	1996	251	119
Persons under 18 for consumption on	(Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule	1997	214	125
the premises	(Sec. 3) para. 4(1).	1998	310	157
		1999	204	115
		2000	130	56
Person under 18 buying or	Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(2), Licensing	1996	33	19
consuming intoxicating liquor in	(Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule	1997	31	24
licensed premises	(Sec. 3) para. 4(2).	1998	39	24
		1999	38	21
		2000	24	22
Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor	Licensing Act 1964, Sec. 181A(1) as added by	1996	–	–
to a person under 18	Licensing Act 1988, Sec17.	1997	1	1
		1998	1	1
		1999	1	–
		2000	2	1
Person under 18 buying or attempting	Licensing Act 1964, Sec. 181A(3) as added by	1996	1	1
to buy intoxicating liquor from	Licensing Act 1988, Sec. 17.	1997	1	–
wholesale premises		1998	2	1
		1999	–	–
		2000	–	–

⁽⁸⁸⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.

⁽⁸⁹⁾ Staffordshire Police were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000.

Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.

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