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5 Feb 2003 : Column 329W—continued
Motor Vehicle Pursuits
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documented motor vehicle pursuits the police made in each year since 1997, broken down by police force; how many (a) fatalities, (b) collisions and (c) injuries occurred as a result of these pursuits; and if he will make a statement. [94275]
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Mr. Denham: Information is not held centrally on the total numbers of police vehicle pursuits.
The tables, by police force area and for the years 1997–98 to 2001–02, the numbers of police vehicle collisions and of police and civilian fatalities and injuries that occurred during the course of a pursuit or an immediate/emergency response have been placed in the Library.
The Government welcomes the recognition by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that they must work to reduce the number of collisions involving police vehicles.
Measures already in place include a new police driver training course, launched in December 2000, which introduced a universal standard for driving in England and Wales. An essential element of the course is that officers should recognise the need to give priority to public safety above all other considerations, such as attending an incident or apprehending a suspect. Where pursuits are concerned, there is a nationally agreed ACPO Pursuit Code of Practice and it is already police policy to consider continuously the consequences of a pursuit and whether to break it off. In addition, all forces have adopted some or most of the recommendations from the 1998 Lind Report on Police Pursuit Driver Training.
ACPO are working closely with the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to identify why there appears to be an upward trend in police vehicle collisions and how this might be reversed. Useful information can be expected from the increasing use by forces of Automatic Data Recorders (ADR) and Vehicle Accident Data Recorders (VADR). These operate in a similar way to aircraft black boxes, providing data on such issues as speed, gear changes, braking, and the use of blue lights.
Mr. Mario O'Brien Clarke
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers are assigned to the investigation of the killing of Mr. Mario O'Brien Clarke in Hackney on 26 December 2002; how many interviews have been conducted in connection with this investigation; how many statements have been taken; how many persons interviewed have previous convictions for drug-related offences; and how many serving soldiers have been interviewed. [94719]
Mr. Denham: I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that officers undertaking this investigation have so far taken 77 statements and that, as this investigation is still on-going, disclosure of precise details of the progress of the investigation may prove prejudicial to the outcome of current inquiries.
Mr. Nick Woodward
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the result was of the police investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Nick Woodward of the Royal Military Police outside Aldershot Barracks in November 2002; how many military personnel have given statements; how many persons were travelling in the car alleged to have
5 Feb 2003 : Column 331W
been involved in the fatal accident; what criminal charges have been brought; and on how many occasions investigators have travelled to Deepcut Barracks. [94720]
Mr. Denham: I am informed by Hampshire Constabulary that the police investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Nick Woodward is incomplete at present. An inquest review is due to be held on 18 March 2003. I understand that three military personnel have given statements in connection with the investigation and that one person was travelling in the car alleged to have been involved in the accident.
Hampshire Constabulary have advised that the driver of the car is currently on bail for the offence of "Causing Death by Dangerous Driving". He is due to return to Aldershot Police Station on 10 March 2003. There is no connection between this investigation and Deepcut Barracks and therefore no investigators have travelled to Deepcut Barracks.
National Intelligence Model
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the principal objectives are of the National Intelligence Model; and if he will make a statement on progress on implementation of the model. [95035]
Mr. Denham: The National Intelligence Model (NIM) is designed to ensure that operational policing is focused on policing priorities. It is informed by an evidence-based assessment of the crime or disorder occurring and the options for dealing with it. In this way policing effort can have a disproportionate impact on crime and disorder. It is an entire process for policing, developed by the service itself and is fully supported by the Home Office, which has to date invested £11.1 million.
NIM is a key part of the Police Reform programme, and implementation is being strongly led by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), to ensure NIM is fully implemented across all 43 forces by April 2004. The ACPO-led implementation team is on track to achieve this milestone.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define (a) Level 1, (b) Level 2 and (c) Level 3 crimes under the National Intelligence Model; and what purpose this framework serves. [95036]
Mr. Denham: In order to ensure consistency and a common standard, within National Intelligence Model (NIM) level 1 is defined as usually crime, criminals and other problems affecting a basic command unit or small force area. Level 2 is defined as usually the actions of a criminal or other specific problems affecting more than one basic command unit, a group of basic command units, neighbouring forces or a group of forces. Level 3 is defined as serious and organised crime, usually operating on a national and international scale.
Official Engagements
Mr. Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the official engagements in (a) his and (b) Ministers in his Department's diaries for the weeks beginning (i) 27 January, (ii) 3 February and (iii) 10 February. [95048]
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Mr. Blunkett: Ministers in my Department have numerous official engagements with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development, analysis and implementation. Details of these engagements are covered by Exemptions 1, 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and are thus confidential. The diary is planned weeks and in some cases months in advance.
Operation Antler
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of Operation Antler, led by Wiltshire constabulary has been; and if he will make a statement. [92757]
Mr. Denham: The Chief Constable informs me that Wiltshire Police Authority costs for Operation Antler, since it commenced in August 1999, have been as follows:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 223,457 |
| 2000–01 | 715,823 |
| 2001–02(29) | 718,188 |
| 2002–03(30) | 366,739 |
| Total | 2,024,207 |
(29) Adjusted figure (previously reported as £742,002)
(30) To 31 December 2002
The current police staffing level is seven police officers and four support staff.
In addition, Ministry of Defence (MOD) costs for staff seconded to Operation Antler since 1999 have been as follows:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 76,097 |
| 2000–01 | 193,311 |
| 2001–02 | 187,251 |
| 2002–03(31) | 47,226 |
| Total | 503,885 |
(31) To 31 December 2002
These figures do not include costs of MOD civilian staff working to support the police.
The Ministry has funded two MOD police officers and five military investigators who were attached to the inquiry at the request of the previous Senior Investigating Officer. At present, only one MOD police officer is working on the inquiry.
(Cleveland) Police Force
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers serve in the Cleveland police force; what percentage of these officers are from ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement. [94272]
Mr. Denham: On 31 March 2002 Cleveland police force had 1,461 police officers, of which 1.3 per cent. were minority ethnic. In England and Wales on 31 March there were 129,603 police officers, of which 2.6 per cent. were minority ethnic.
5 Feb 2003 : Column 333W
Police Numbers
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full time police officers and (b) Special Constables have been on duty in (i) Cheshire Constabulary and (ii) Macclesfield police division in each of the last 10 years. [92949]
Mr. Denham: Information on the number of officers on duty in forces and divisions is not collected centrally. The number of officers on duty is an operational matter for the Chief Constable and will vary from day to day.
The table sets out the number of officers in the Cheshire Constabulary and Special Constabulary for the last 10 years.
For the latest centrally collected information on the number of officers in Macclesfield, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 2 December 2002 to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes), Official Report, column 589W, setting out police strength for each Basic Command Unit for each force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2002.
| Year(as at 31 March) | Police officer (number) | Special Constabulary (number) | Civilian support staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1,908 | (32)274 | 554 |
| 1994 | 1,902 | (32)387 | 581 |
| 1995 | 1,932 | (32)321 | 615 |
| 1996 | 1,998 | 274 | 689 |
| 1997 | 2,045 | 475 | 735 |
| 1998 | 2,042 | 459 | 781 |
| 1999 | 2,071 | 407 | 785 |
| 2000 | 2,011 | 350 | 823 |
| 2001 | 2,002 | 290 | 833 |
| 2002 | 2,059 | 191 | 884 |
(32) Figures for 1993 to 1995 are from the Annual Report of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. For 1993 they are those for 31 December 1992 and for 1994 they are those for 31 December 1993 as the Annual Reports before 1994–95 were on a calendar year basis.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were serving in the Hertfordshire constabulary on (a) 1 January 2001, (b) 1 January 2002 and (c) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [93323]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is set out in the table.
| Year | Police strength | Civilian support staff |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2001 | 1,954 | 952 |
| 31 January 2002 | 1,851 | n/a |
| 31 March 2002 | 1,825 | 1,121 |
Following the change to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) boundaries, which took effect on 1 April 2000, a total of 184 MPS officers were seconded to Hertfordshire. The majority had returned to the MPS by 31 March 2002.
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