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23 Oct 2002 : Column 336W—continued
Crime (Hertfordshire)
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of the statistics for recorded crime in Hertfordshire by type of offence (a) on 1 May 1997, (b) on 1 June 2001 and (c) according to the most recent statistics which are available [75398]
Mr. Denham: The Home Office does not collect recorded crime figures on a daily basis.
It should be noted that there was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, and a change in Hertfordshire Constabulary's boundary on 1 April 2000, both of which will have increased the number of offences recorded by the force. Recorded crime figures for the force from before and after these dates will therefore not be directly comparable. The figures for the financial year ending March 1998, and the year ending March 2002, which is the latest available, are given in the table.
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| Offence Group | 12 months to March 1998(2) | 12 months to March 2002(3) |
|---|---|---|
| Violence against the person | 2,406 | 4,713 |
| Sexual offences | 307 | 381 |
| Robbery | 282 | 683 |
| Total violent crime | 2,995 | 5,777 |
| Burglary | 9,313 | 10,682 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 25,456 | 30,213 |
| Theft of and from a vehicle(4) | 15,188 | 14,367 |
| Fraud and Forgery | 1,418 | 3,475 |
| Criminal damage | 9,811 | 15,323 |
| Drug and other offences(5) | 433 | 1,967 |
| Total | 49,426 | 67,437 |
Notes:
(2) The number of crimes recorded in the old police force area in that financial year using the counting rules in use until 31 March 199
(3) The number of crimes recorded in the new police force area in that financial year using the revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.
(4) Theft of and from vehicles are included in the Theft and Handling stolen goods offence group.
(5) Prior to April 1998, Trafficking in controlled drugs were the only recorded drug offence. As from April 1998, both Possesion of controlled drugs and Other drug offences became notifiable.
Eurostar
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the practice of his officials to search the luggage of all passengers boarding Eurostar at Waterloo Station; and if he will make a statement. [75404]
Beverley Hughes: It is not the practise of Immigration officials at Waterloo International station to search the luggage of passengers boarding the Eurostar services to France and Belgium. Examination of baggage of departing passengers is a matter for the managers of port security.
As a matter of routine officials do not operate outward immigration controls at Waterloo International.
Baggage is screened at Waterloo International by security staff employed by Eurostar for this purpose. The levels of screening are set by the Department of Environment, Transport and Local Regions. These levels are renewed regularly. It is the responsibility of Eurostar UK Ltd to comply with security regulations.
Community Groups
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is being made available to community groups in order to encourage young people to steer clear of crime in north-east London. [75100]
Mr. John Denham: The Government's programme to tackle youth offending includes a number of initiatives to prevent young people being drawn into crime, including by targeting those most at risk.
Key Home Office programmes in North East London that may involve funding for community groups includes Youth Inclusion Programme and Splash, which are running in Haringey, Islington, Hackney and Camden, and the Safer Communities Initiative and Communities Against Drugs programmes, which
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include youth work, youth diversionary schemes and work with families, in Havering, Barking, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Haringey and Enfield.
The Children's Fund will, by 2004, be providing funding in all London boroughs to address the gap in preventative services for children and young people, aged between five and 13, at risk of social exclusion. And the Children and Young People's Unit Local Network Fund is providing funding for community groups in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge to help tackle poverty and disadvantage amongst children and young people up to 19 years.
Chinese Embassy
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the cost is to public funds of the 24-hour police guard outside the Chinese Embassy in London; [75095]
- (2) if he will list the reasons for providing a 24-hour police guard outside the Chinese Embassy, in London; and what the costs to public funds are estimated to be. [75096]
Mr. John Denham: It is not our policy to comment on the reason for, nor the extent of, protection arrangements. It is standard practice not to disclose the costs of such protection, in order to avoid the risk that the scale of that protection could be deduced by those who might seek to use such information for unlawful purposes.
Prison Staff
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the ratio of staff to prisoners was in each English prison on 1 January (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [74924]
Mr. Hilary Benn: The ratio of operational staff to prisoners in each Prison Service establishment in England on 1 January 2000, 2001 and 2002 is given in the table. Staffing levels do vary between different types of establishment. Private prisons are not required to submit staffing data and are excluded from this table.
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* Buckley Hall and Blakenhurst returned to the public sector in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
** Morton Hall re-roled to hold female prisoners in January 2001. This reduced the population and generated a short term rise in the operational staff to prisoner ratio.
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