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31 Mar 2003 : Column 583W—continued
Police Vehicle Accidents
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) killed and (b) injured by police vehicles in the Greater London area in each of the last three years. [105271]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Available information is given in the table. Figures for deaths and injuries refer to police forces not geographical areas and are available only for collisions where the police vehicle was providing an immediate response to an emergency call or in pursuit of another vehicle.
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Recorded Crime (Kent)
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the recorded crime rate in Kent was in each year since 1997, broken down by major category of crime. [105192]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The requested information is in the table.
There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime in 1 April 1998, which would have the tendency to increase the number of crimes counted. Crime rates before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable.
The Kent County Constabulary adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard on 1 April 2000, in advance of its national implementation on 1 April 2002. This may have inflated its recorded crime figures, and so crime rates before and after this date may not be directly comparable.
(61) Recorded on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and years ending March thereafter.
(62) The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.
(63) Prior to 1998–99, the only drug-related offence recorded was "Trafficking in controlled drugs". This was recorded within the "Other offences" offence group.
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Street Crime
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department intends to evaluate the Street Crime Initiative in the relevant police force areas; and if he will publish the evaluation. [105313]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Street Crime Initiative is ongoing and as part of its day to day management there is regular identification and exchange of good practice across the various agencies involved. At local level a number of specific evaluations of projects or initiatives have been commissioned. These are a matter for the local partners.
In addition, various strands of activity contributing to reducing street crime are being examined by a number of independent inspectorates, including Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Constabulary, Prisons, and Probation, and the Social Services, Crown Prosecution Service, and Magistrates Courts' Inspectorates. Findings are expected to be made available in the summer.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is evidence to show that the street crime initiative has displaced such crimes into areas not subject to the initiative. [105314]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: It is not currently possible to make an assessment of displacement effects from areas subject to the Street Crime Initiative to areas that are not part of the initiative. It should not be assumed that decreases in crime in a particular force area are at the cost of increases elsewhere.
Criminal statistics are published on a quarterly and annual basis. The latest figures for England and Wales show that robbery fell by 10 per cent. in July to September 2002 compared to the year before.
Terrorism
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the vulnerability of public and government buildings to attack from a helicopter; and if he will make a statement. [101147]
Mr. Blunkett: All flights over central London take place within controlled airspace and require clearance from air traffic control. Pilots are required to comply with air traffic control instructions at all times.
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There are a number of designated helicopter routes through the London Control Zone. For example, for safety reasons single-engined helicopters must follow a fixed route, including along the Thames, away from built up areas.
Restrictions on helicopter movements, and security requirements at airfields, in London and elsewhere, are kept under constant review and can be expected to be varied from time to time.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women accused of being involved in terrorist activities are being held in prisons in England and Wales; and how many of those being held have appeared before a magistrates court. [104637]
Hilary Benn: There are currently 44 male prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales accused of being involved in terrorist activities. There are no female prisoners currently being held in any prison accused of being involved in terrorist activities. Of these 44, 12 have not appeared before a magistrates court; these 12 prisoners are being held under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Benefits
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department have made of the number of people who opted for payment of benefits and pensions into a (a) bank or building society account and (b) post office card account by 28 February; and how many of those are (i) child benefit, (ii) veterans agency and (iii) pensions claimants. [105256]
Malcolm Wicks: As at 28 February 2003 1,218,916 customer invitation letters had been issued. This is made up of 1,086,301 child benefit customers, 107,651 Veterans Agency customers and 24,964 pensions customers.
From the invitation letters issued, over 447,226 customers have responded to our letters and opted for payment into a bank or building society account: this is made up of 393,847 child benefit, 51,806 Veterans Agency and 1,573 pensions.
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Over 90,711 customers have responded with a request for a post office card account. This is made up of 49,178 child benefit customers, 35,622 Veterans Agency customers and 5,911 pensions customers. As planned we have now started to issue personal invitation documents to customers who have requested a post office card account.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons aged 65–70 receive disability living allowance or attendance allowance; and of these how many (a) receive a mobility payment and (b) do not do so on account of their having become disabled after the age of 65. [105273]
Maria Eagle: The numbers of people aged 65–70 receiving (i) disability living allowance, (ii) the mobility component of disability living allowance, and (iii) attendance allowance are shown in the table. Figures for the number of attendance allowance recipients in that age group who might satisfy the entitlement conditions for the disability living allowance mobility component are not available because the walking difficulties of attendance allowance claimants are not assessed.
| Benefit | Number of recipients aged 65–70 |
|---|---|
| Disability living allowance(64) | 340,600 |
| Disability living allowance mobility component(65) | 314,100 |
| Attendance allowance(66) | 60,000 |
(64) Disability living allowance is available to people who claim help with their disability related extra costs before age 65. Once in payment, the care component or the mobility component of disability living allowance (or both) can continue to be paid after age 65 for as long as the entitlement conditions are satisfied.
(65) People receiving a mobility component may also be receiving a care component.
(66) Attendance allowance is available to people aged 65 and over when they claim help with their disability related extra costs. Attendance allowance does not have a mobility component.
Note:
Figures are in thousands rounded to the nearest hundred.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, data taken from 5 per cent. sample at 31 August 2002.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the number of pensioners eligible for benefits in the East Riding of Yorkshire, broken down by benefit category; [105278]
- (2) how many pensioners receive state benefits in the East Riding of Yorkshire, broken down by benefit category. [105277]
Mr. McCartney: Estimates of eligibility are available at national level only.
Information about the number of pensioners receiving state benefits in the East Riding of Yorkshire is in the following table.
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| Benefit | As at: | Number of claimants (thousand) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Income Guarantee(67) | November 2002 | 10.3 |
| State Pension | September 2002 | 69.0 |
| Disability Living Allowance(68) | August 2002 | 3.8 |
| Attendance Allowance | August 2002 | 7.5 |
| Winter Fuel Payment | 2001–02 | 72.3 |
(67) MIG claimants are defined as any live Income Support benefit unit where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 and over.
(68) DLA figure is for claimants over state pension age (age 60+ for women/age 65+ for men).
Notes:
1. Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), State Pension (SP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and Attendance Allowance (AA) are based on a 5 per cent. sample
therefore subject to sampling variation. Winter Fuel Payment is 100 per cent. data.
2. Local authorities are allocated using the relevant ONS postcode directory.
3. Figures are in thousands rounded to the nearest hundred.
4. Figures are for individual benefits and a person in receipt of more than one benefit will be included in each benefit count. Figures cannot therefore be summed to give a total number of claimants.
Sources:
1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2002.
2. 5 per cent. sample from the Pension Strategy Computer System, September 2002.
3. IAD Information Centre, data taken from 5 per cent. sample at 31 August 2002.
4. Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service Winter Fuels Payment 2001–02 exercise 100 per cent data.
Information about Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is only available at Government Office Region level and is in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| HB recipients | 162,000 |
| CTB recipients | 230,000 |
Notes:
1. The figure is based on a 1 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
2. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
3. The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand cases.
4. Council Tax Benefit data excludes any Second Adult Rebate cases.
5. Housing Benefit data excludes any Extended Payment cases.
6. The figures are for benefit units where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.
7. There will be an overlap in the figures as a claimant may be in receipt of both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2001.
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