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22 Jan 2003 : Column 359W—continued
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Theft/Fraud
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been lost by her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97. [92469]
Dr. Howells: All thefts and frauds are reported for each financial year to the Treasury. Details are no longer available for the period prior to 1998.
(a) There have been no reported instances of fraud.
(b) in 1998 a lap top computer was stolen, estimated value £1,350 and in 2001 computer hardware to a value of £1,823 was lost to theft. In 2002 computer hardware to a value of £3,200 was lost to theft. Non-departmental bodies report direct to the Treasury and details are not held by the Department.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002. [89895]
Dr. Howells: All thefts and frauds are reported for each financial year to the Treasury. In 2002 known losses through theft or fraud have been (a) £3,200 (theft of computer equipment) (b) £2,800 (thefts). Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.
Performance-enhancing Drugs
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tests for erythropoietin and human growth hormones she expects to be conducted by UK Sport in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement. [91874]
Mr. Caborn: The introduction to sport of testing for the detection of blood plasma expanders such as erythropoietin (EPO) is quite recent. The testing protocols are still being assessed to ensure that they are effective and at present there is not full agreement about the most appropriate testing regime for EPO. However, UK Sport, the national anti-doping organisation, is proposing to include EPO testing at several major events in the UK (both at and prior to the event) over the next 12 months. Previously, UK Sport has undertaken testing for EPO at the 2001 World Half Marathon, the 2002 London Marathon and the Commonwealth Games. UK Sport will continue to monitor the development of an agreed testing procedure.
As part of the 2002 Spending Review this government has allocated additional funds to UK Sport, which amounts to £1.5 million in 2004–05 and £3.2 million in 2005–06. Once testing protocols for EPO are agreed, this increase in funding will enable UK Sport to make a full assessment of the needs for this type of testing, to plan the delivery of testing in those sports that are at greatest risk from EPO abuse and to introduce EPO testing to the UK's on-going anti-doping programme.
There is no approved test for human growth hormones at present. However, UK Sport is regularly in touch with the leading experts on these substances who
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are based in the UK. Once a test is approved, UK Sport will be able to assess the need and the resources required to introduce human growth hormone testing to the UK's anti-doping programme.
Sickness Absence
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many working days have been lost in her Department and due to illness in each year since 1997–98. [92718]
Dr. Howells : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) and Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 714W.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Assault Sentences
Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence for assaulting a shop worker was in the last two years. [90261]
Hilary Benn: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Drugs
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the departmental budget allocated in this financial year for tackling drug crime will be spent on (a) staff and (b) associated staff costs; and if he will make a statement. [91672]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: All expenditure on tackling drugs contributes to the fight against drug crime.
Of the departmental expenditure specifically targeted on delivering the Drug Strategy, some 13 per cent. will be spent on staffing and associated costs in the current financial year.
Paul Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the numbers and percentage of prisoners who will be participating in drug treatment programmes in each of the next 10 years. [90270]
Hilary Benn: The Prison Service is committed to delivering the following Key Performance Targets by March 2004:
- 5,700 prisoners to enter a rehabilitation programme or therapeutic community annually;
27,000 prisoners to enter Detoxification annually;
25,000 initial Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARATs) assessments to be undertaken annually; and
to maintain 28,000 prisoners on voluntary testing compacts.
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Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated for the education campaign due to be launched this spring on drug misuse; what assessment will take place of the effectiveness of the campaign; who will carry out the assessment; when the results will be published; and if he will make a statement. [91673]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The campaign is jointly funded by the Home Office and the Department for Health. £3 million has been allocated in this year and a similar level of funding is anticipated over the following three years. The campaign will be fully evaluated, including a quantitative tracking survey which will be supplemented by qualitative surveys as appropriate. The evaluation contract is being commissioned through COI (Central Office of Information), the Government's communications agency, and we anticipate appointing a research agency in the near future. The tracking survey results will be placed in the Library when they become available.
Under-age Drinking
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on under-age drinking. [90960]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: A number of legislative measures are in place to help tackle under-age drinking. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 made it an offence for any person to sell alcohol to a person under 18 on licensed premises, or knowingly to allow another person to do so. It also created the offence of buying, or attempting to buy, alcohol on licensed premises on behalf of a person under 18. Measures in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 provided the police and local authorities with increased powers to tackle under-age drinking, including for example, measures to make it easier for local authorities to designate areas where restrictions on anti-social drinking will apply. It also created a positive duty on licensees and their staff not to sell alcohol to under 18s.
The Licensing Bill currently in the House of Lords contains proposals to amend the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to reinstate the police power to
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confiscate sealed containers (in addition to opened containers) from young people in public places, where a police officer reasonably believes that the young person is, or has been, or intends to, consume the alcohol in a public place.
In addition, the Home Office, together with other Departments, are working with the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit on their study into tackling the harm associated with alcohol misuse. This has involved a public consultation, run jointly with the Department of Health. The project will pay particular attention to issues such as alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour, problems faced by vulnerable groups such as children and what works best in tackling the problems of alcohol misuse.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Aerospace Industry
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what purpose capital spending on aerospace programmes for financial year 2003–04 set out in Annex A, table 3 of his departmental report, Cm 5416 is intended; and if she will make a statement. [91958]
Alan Johnson: The capital spending on aerospace programmes, recorded in the departmental report (CM 5416), relates to the net capital requirement anticipated at the time the report was published taking account of the payments and receipts under the Government's portfolio of Launch Investment contracts. Through Launch Investment partnerships the Government support the design and development of civil aerospace projects in the UK.
Appointments
Dr. Cable : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who have been members of the Ethnic Minority Business Advisory Forum since its inception; what (a) expenses and (b) salary each received; and if she will make a statement. [91666]
Nigel Griffiths: Current members of the Ethnic Minority Business Forum (EMBF) are as follows:
| Ms Yvonne Thompson(9) | Ms Maxine James | Mr. Leslie Fairclough |
| Mrs. Jaswin MacDonald | Ms Adeeba Malik | Mr. Michael Davis-Bingham |
| Mr. Tony Sealey | Sir Gulam Noon MBE | Mr. Numan Azmi |
| Mr. Kam Kothia | Professor Monder Ram | Miss Mai Sim Lei |
| Mr. Niyazi Enver | Mr. Askar Sheibani | Mrs. Rita Patel |
| Dr. Haider Imam | Mr. Mohammed Isap | Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan |
(9) Chair
Previous members who have served on the EMBF since it was set up in 2002 but who are no longer members are as follows:
| Ms Jennifer Craig | Mr. Pravin Kapadia |
| Mr. Mohammed Nazir | Mr. Jeffery Yap |
| Mr. Clyde Williams | Mrs. Sukvinder Studds |
| Lord Amir Bhatia OBE | — |
Members are unpaid but are reimbursed for travel and subsistence, according to the rates applicable to senior civil servants.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who have been members of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment since its inception; what expenses or salary each received; and if she will make a statement. [91665]
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Mr. Wilson: The members of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE) are appointed for two-year terms jointly by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. No members of ACBE have ever received a salary; they are however entitled to claim reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses. Since its inception in May 1991 the members, and their organisations at the time of appointment, have been:
(10) Resigned part way through this term.
(11) Resigned part way through term.
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