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4 Dec 2002 : Column 872W—continued
Leg Restraints
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the use of leg restraints on people in the custody of the police. [84659]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 2 December 2002]: I am told by the Association of Chief Police Officers that they issued guidance to all police forces in the use of limb restraints in July 2001.
Police Stations
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have (a) opened and (b) closed in West Sussex this year. [84764]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 2 December 2002]: The Chief Constable of Sussex informs me that there are 15 police stations in West Sussex. None has been opened or closed this year. A new police station is planned to be opened in Selsey in April 2003.
Prisons
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on projected prison population figures for the next five years. [82133]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 2 December 2002]: The Statistical Bulletin XProjections of Long Term Trends in the Prison Population to 2009" will be published shortly. A copy of which will be placed in the Library.
Psychological Resources (Marc Hodgkiss)
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what psychological resources are available in the Ravenswood House Medical Secure Unit to assess and treat Marc Hodgkiss; and if she will make a statement. [82451]
Ms Blears: I have been asked to reply.
Ravenswood House is resourced to provide services to residents and not non-residents such as Mr. Hodgkiss.
Scottish Executive
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many official inter-ministerial
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meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date. [83584]
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Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 27 November 2002]: As far as records show the following meetings have been held between Home Office and Scottish Executive Ministers since May 1999:
| Home Office Minister | Scottish Executive Minister | Subject discussed | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Ainsworth | lain Gray (then Deputy Justice Minister) | Drugs policy | 18 September 2001 |
| Bob Ainsworth | Richard Simpson (then Deputy Justice Minister) | Drugs policy | 26 March 2002 |
| Beverley Hughes | Margaret Curran (Minister for Social Justice) | Various issues relating to asylum seekers in Scotland | 11–12 September 2002 |
| Lord Falconer | Colin Boyd (Lord Advocate) and Elish Angiolini (Solicitor General) | Prison population, Effective sentences, persistent offenders, bail and enforcement of warrants and fines | 15 November 2002 |
Security Service Surveillance
Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who authorised the (a) recruitment and (b) use by (i) Special Branch and (ii) the security service of a paid agent codenamed Silver Fox in the National Union of Mineworkers during 1984–85; and if he will make a statement; [82593]
- (2) who authorised (a) Special Branch and (b) the security service to place a field agent in the circle of Mr. David Nellist while he was an hon. Member; and if he will make a statement. [82592]
Mr. Blunkett: Operational decisions at the time would have been for the relevant Chief Officer. It has been the longstanding policy of successive governments neither to confirm nor deny reports concerning Security Service operations.
Superintendent Garry Horlacher
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the recent investigation into the conduct of Superintendent Garry Horlacher; [84204]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the number of man hours lost as result of the investigation into the conduct of Superintendent Garry Horlacher; [84207]
(3) if he will make a statement on the origin of the regulation regarding staff information on a whiteboard, which led to the investigation into the conduct of Superintendent Garry Horlacher; [84205]
(4) if he will make a statement on the time taken to complete the investigation into the conduct of Superintendent Garry Horlacher; and what assessment he has made of (a) the costs of the investigaton and (b) the impact upon police morale. [84206]
Mr. Denham: I am informed by Cumbria Constabulary that they received a number of allegations, some of which were of a serious nature, which the force considered breached the principles of honesty and integrity, confidentiality, and politeness and tolerance, contained in the Code of Conduct in the Police Conduct) Regulations 1999. The force considered that the more serious allegations merited an investigation under those regulations.
Cumbria Constabulary advise me that the investigation took three months. It was undertaken by an outside force that has not charged for this work. No officers were suspended, and thus, no time was lost.
The force recognise that morale may have been impacted by the investigation, but they consider that there would have been a more serious impact if no investigation had been undertaken into the serious allegations made against a senior officer.
Police Morale
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the time spent by police officers on paperwork and administrative tasks; and if he will make a statement on police morale. [84208]
Mr. Denham: We are committed to tackling the administrative burdens and inefficient working practices that keep officers off the streets. Sir David O'Dowd's task force was commissioned to give the Government a police service view of what could be done to tackle the administrative burdens and inefficient working practices which keep police officers off the streets. The task force report, published on 17 September, highlighted ways to free up significant amounts of officers' time. A steering group, co-chaired by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Home Office, is taking the task force recommendations forward. This is a vital opportunity to bring about a real difference to the everyday lives of officers on the front line.
We have turned around the decline in police numbers that started under the last Government. The investment has been made to deliver a record number of police officers and there are now 5,400 more officers than two years ago. We are on course for our targets of 130,000 officers by March 2003 and 132,500 in 2004. We have also reached agreement on a package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service that is good for the service, for rank and file officers and for the public. We will ensure that officers know and feel that they are valued.
Thames Valley Police
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian support staff were employed by Thames Valley Police in each year since 1 January 1996. [85134]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 3 December 2002]: The information requested about police strength has been set out in the table. Figures are only available for March and September of each year.
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| Year as at 31 March | Police officers | Civilian support staff |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3,674 | 1,738 |
| 1997 | 3,695 | 1,825 |
| 1998 | 3,776 | 1,827 |
| 1999 | 3,748 | 1,799 |
| 2000 | 3,740 | 1,786 |
| 2001 | 3,703 | 1,891 |
| 2002 | 3,762 | 2,061 |
Source:
Home Office Statistical Bulletins—Police Service Strength—1996–2002.
Under-age Drinkers
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring forward legislation to allow the police to confiscate sealed alcohol containers from under-age drinkers in public places. [84803]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 3 December 2002]: We have included a clause in the Licensing Bill, now before Parliament, which will, if enacted, amend the existing legislation to allow the police to confiscate alcohol in sealed containers from young people who are drinking in public places.
Wildlife Legislation
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2002, Official Report, column 243W, how many prosecutions and convictions there have been under the (a) Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996, (b) Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and (c) Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in each year, broken down by region. [84820]
Mr. Denham: The available information is shown in the table for England and Wales, 1998 to 2000.
Statistics for 2001 will be available in due course.
(22) These data are on the principal offence basis.
(23) Excludes offences under Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Sec 13.
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(24) These data are on the principal offence basis.
(25) Excludes offences under Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Sec 13.
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(26) These data are on the principal offence basis.
(27) Staffordshire police force 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.
(28) Excludes offences under Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Sec 13.
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