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15 Oct 2002 : Column 744W—continued
Armed Robberies, East Preston
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will visit the shopkeepers in East Preston, West Sussex, to discuss armed robberies at retail premises. [74765]
Mr. Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have no plans to make a Ministerial visit to East Preston in the near future.
We are, however, aware that Arun Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership is actively engaged with the Traders Association and the local community to discuss and tackle the crime problems retailers in this area are facing.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many armed robberies have been recorded in East Preston, West Sussex, in the past two months. [74764]
Mr. Denham: The requested information is not available centrally.
Vandalism
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving acts of vandalism were committed by young people between the ages of 11 and 16 years in the last year for which figures are available. [74793]
Hilary Benn: Statistics of recorded crime do not include any details of offenders.
Offences involving acts of vandalism are not distinguishable from other offences of criminal damage on the Home Office Court Proceedings and Cautions Database.
Communications Data
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to communications data, how many Immigration Service officials he estimates will be authorised to seek access to communications data and how many times officials have sought access to such data from communications providers such as Internet service providers under the Data Protection Act 1998 in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [74483]
Beverley Hughes: The Immigration Service has previously accessed communication data under the Data Protection Act 1998 through police Single Points of Contact. The Immigration Service did not retain a central register of the number of inquiries undertaken.
The Immigration Service is seeking to become a prescribed authority under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Chapter II in order to access communications data. Once approved, any
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immigration official investigating immigration related crime would be able to submit an application for communication data via a single point of contact.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the code of practice in relation to communications data; which public authorities will be able to have access to communications data; if he will make a statement on the support he has obtained from telecommunications companies for the concept of a voluntary code of practice to govern the access to communications data; whether he intends to use statutory powers to place access to communications data on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement on the collective statement made by Data Protection Commissioners with regard to his proposals for the retention of communications data. [74584]
Mr. Blunkett: Communications data may be supplied voluntarily for specified purposes (e.g. investigation of crime) under the Data Protection Act 1998. A more tightly controlled regulatory regime for access to communications data will be provided for under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Chapter II of Part I of the Act explains the duties and responsibilities placed upon each party involved in the process, and creates a system of safeguards reflecting Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). The overall regime will be subject to oversight by the Interception of Communications Commissioner.
The Chapter II provisions are subject to a statutory code of practice, a draft of which was published for public consultation during summer 2001. The code relates to the powers and duties conferred or imposed
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under Chapter II. It provides guidance on the procedures that must be followed before access to communications data can take place under those provisions. RIPA provides that the code is admissible in evidence in criminal and civil proceedings. We aim to implement the Chapter II provisions in 2003.
I will be bringing forward proposals in relation to any additional public authorities under Chapter II Part I of RIPA following detailed public consultation.
We are still in consultation with the communications service providers on the production of a voluntary code of practice to cover the retention of communications data by them under the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001, and have noted the statement by the Data Protection Commissioners with regard to proposals on data retention.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders, Hertsmere
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been made in respect of residents of (a) Hertsmere and (b) Hertfordshire in each year since the inception of the orders. [74455]
Mr. Denham: An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) is a civil order made by a court which currently can be applied for by a local authority or the police. The table shows the number of notifications received by the Home Office of ASBOs issued within Hertfordshire by local government authority up to March 2002.
We are aware that the number of ASBOs made locally have been consistently under reported in returns made by magistrates courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.
| Area | From 01-Apr-99 to 31-May-00 1 | From 01-Jun-00 to 31-Dec-00 | From 01-Jan-01 to 31-Dec-01 | From 01-Jan-02 to 31-Mar-02 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Force Area / MCC 2 | |||||
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1 | 7 | — | 9 |
| Local Government Authority | |||||
| Cheshunt BC | .. | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Stevenage BC | .. | — | 4 | — | 4 |
| Three Rivers DC | .. | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| Welwyn Hatfield DC | .. | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Notes:
1 Total figure only available for Hertfordshire police force area within this period. Local Government Authority not known.
2 MCC—Magistrates' Courts Committee area.
.. Not available.
Police, Hertsmere
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were in post in (a) Hertsmere and (b) Hertfordshire (i) on 1 May 1997, (ii) on 1 May 2001 and (iii) according to the most recent figures available. [74454]
Mr. Denham: Police strength information at force level is collected twice a year in March and September. The information requested for Hertfordshire Constabulary is set out in the table. The latest figures are for March 2002. Information for individual divisions/basic command units is not collected centrally.
Following boundary changes on 1 April 2000, responsibility for policing some parts of the Metropolitan Police area was transferred to Hertfordshire. A number of Metropolitan Police Officers were seconded to Hertfordshire following this change. Many of these officers returned to the Metropolitan Police Service during 2001/2002 and this is reflected in the fall in strength between March 2001 and March 2002.
| Year as at 31 March | Hertfordshire Police Strength |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1,759 |
| 2001 | 1,922 |
| 2002 | 1,825 |
Source:
Home Office Statistical Bulletins—Police Service Strength
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Nazi War Criminals
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new measures have been taken since 1997 to ensure that alleged or indicted Nazi war criminals (a) have not visited and (b) are not now in the UK. [74744]
Beverley Hughes: No measures aimed specifically at alleged or indicted Nazi war criminals have been put in place since 1997. In our White Paper, Secure Borders, Safe Haven, the Government has made clear its intention to strengthen its ability to deal with suspected and convicted war criminals by:
- Up-dating relevant immigration and nationality legislation
- Ensuring better co-ordination between the Home Office and all other Departments and agencies who have an interest in this area.
Work is currently underway to achieve both of these commitments.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the UK Public Records to identify alleged or indicted Nazi war criminals living in the UK. [74745]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We have no present plans to conduct a general review of public records to identify Nazi war criminals. However, the police will continue to consult public records where necessary to help them investigate individual cases.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what improvements have been made in international collaboration and exchanges of information between Government authorities, law enforcement agencies and archive centres on alleged or indicted Nazi war criminals since 1997. [74746]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In June 2002, the European Union agreed to set up a network of contact points to exchange information to help investigate and prosecute suspected war criminals. A further instrument is being negotiated which would facilitate the exchange by Member States of information on war crimes held by their immigration authorities, to assist criminal investigations.
In addition, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is developing increasing links with authorities in other countries enabling the informal exchange of information about war criminals generally.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contacts he maintains with Government agencies in Eastern Europe and South America about alleged or indicted Nazi war criminals living in the UK. [74751]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are no regular contacts with authorities in those countries concerning Nazi war criminals living in the United Kingdom. However, the police have visited Eastern Europe as necessary when investigating individual cases, and European Union enlargement will bring a number of Eastern European countries into the European Union's arrangements for exchanging information on war criminals.
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