---

8 Apr 2003 : Column 219W—continued

Probation Service

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what help is given to probation officers in Somerset to deal with case load. [107262]

Hilary Benn: In the Avon and Somerset probation area staff are regularly supervised by managers to assess workload issues and to enable effective workload management. The Probation Board has agreed a workload prioritisation framework with staff through their respective Trade Unions, which assists staff and managers to be clear about priorities in the event of a shortfall in resources. Specific training is provided for specialist staff.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what help is given to probation officers to complete case work on time. [107263]

Hilary Benn: Probation Officers benefit from a range of help to assist them in completing casework on time, including through training leading to a Diploma in Probation Studies. Home Office National Standards for the supervision of offenders in the community sets out minimum standards of expected performance. The National Probation Directorate (NPD) carries out regular performance monitoring and provides feedback to probation areas. NPD has produced a workload prioritisation framework, which has been issued to all areas, and has also developed a workload measurement project. Both of these provide guidance to areas to enable the active management of workload and ensure effective service delivery while maintaining a duty of care towards employees.

Public Appointments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public appointments he has made since 1 March; and if he will list them. [105637]

Mr. Blunkett: Between 1 March and 27 March I made two appointments to public bodies as follows:

Commission for Racial Equality: Trevor Phillips—Chair

Parole Board: The Hon. Mr. Justice Gage—Vice Chair

A total of nine appointments to Boards of Visitors in prison establishments in England and Wales were made between 1 March and 27 March. In accordance with established practice their names are not published for reason of personal safety.

Railways (Crime Prevention)

Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he was consulted by the Strategic Rail Authority before the suspension of the Rail Passenger Partnership schemes between local authorities and train companies intended to reduce crime and public fears in and around railway stations; and if he will make a statement. [106886]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport was consulted by the Strategic Rail Authority on its decision to suspend the Rail Passenger Partnership funding scheme to new bids. The SRA does

8 Apr 2003 : Column 220W

not intend to terminate the RPP scheme but for the present the focus will be on seeing through existing commitments and approvals.

Where RPP funding is used to provide improved facilities and better access at railway stations, this may provide residual benefits in reducing crime at these locations. Also, both the Strategic Rail Authority and the Department are continuing to encourage further accreditations under the secure stations scheme. The scheme is specifically designed to improve and standardise good security practices at railway stations.

Respect and Responsibility White Paper

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has undertaken with young people on the White Paper, "Respect and Responsibility". [105885]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The White Paper "Respect and Responsibility", published on 12 March, takes account of views received from a variety of practitioners and members of the public up and down the country.

Young people are more likely to be the victims of anti-social behaviour than the perpetrators. We will continue to listen to their concerns as we take this agenda forward, in accordance with guidance to government departments issued in November 2001 "Learning to Listen: core principles for the involvement of children and young people".

Sexual Offences Bill

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with UNICEF on the Sexual Offences Bill. [107246]

Hilary Benn: Ministers at the Home Office have had no direct discussion with UNICEF on the Sexual Offences Bill. UNICEF UK has, however, provided useful contributions to the process which has brought the Bill before Parliament in the form of responses to the various consultation processes which preceded it. Most recently, UNICEF UK was one of approximately 40 organisations which responded to the publication of the command paper, 'Protecting the Public'; and one of those which responded to the recent, limited consultation on our proposals to reduce the period that sex offenders may plan to spend abroad before they are required to notify the police of their travel plans.

Staff Union Duties

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002. [106768]

Hilary Benn: The Employment Protection Act 1975 gave trade union officials a statutory right to reasonable paid time off from employment to carry out trade union duties. In the Civil Service, since April 1996, departments and agencies have been given the freedom to set their own levels of facility time and make other facilities available to their trade union accredited representatives.

8 Apr 2003 : Column 221W

In accordance with Departmental Facilities Agreements between the Home Office and recognised trade unions, 63 union representatives in the Home Office and its agencies receive up to 100 per cent. paid leave to undertake union duties. A further 820 accredited representatives are allocated 25 days a year to spend on union duties and 16 are allocated 40 days a year. Related costs in 2002 amounted to approximately £4,759,000.

The Department values the constructive working relationships with the trade unions which provide an efficient means of involving staff at all levels in shaping and delivering our aims.

Statutory Instruments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory instruments issued by his Department in the last 12 months, indicating (a) the purpose of each and (b) the cost of each to (i) public funds, (ii) businesses and (iii) individuals. [106333]

Hilary Benn: Details of the statutory instruments (SI) issued by the Home Office in the last 12 months, and those Orders in Council which originated from the Home Office, have been placed in the Library. The additional information requested could not be made available other than at disproportionate cost, but the costs to businesses will have been indicated in any Regulatory Impact Assessments previously produced.

Sunset Clauses

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from his Department since 1997. [106947]

Hilary Benn: The following sunset clauses have been included in legislation from the Home Office since 1997:

(i) Section 5 of the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 (c.25).


(ii) Section 112 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (c.11).


(iii) Section 15(3) of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (c.16).


(iv) Sections 29, 105, and 123 (in conjunction with section 122 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (c.24).


(v) Section 1 of the Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Act 2002 (c.12).

Travel Costs

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of travel by train by staff was in his Department in 2002. [106386]

Beverley Hughes: The Home Office is committed to ensuring that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with operational needs. It is the Department's policy to encourage staff to use public transport rather than private cars for official travel in accordance with the Government's policy

on Green Transport.

During the period 1 January to 31 December 2002, a total of £2,057,785 from public funds was spent on train travel by Home Office staff within the United Kingdom.

8 Apr 2003 : Column 222W

Under-age Drinking

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will implement the new powers for confiscating unopened alcohol containers from minors. [107193]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We have included a proposal in the Licensing Bill, currently before Parliament, to enable the police to confiscate sealed alcohol containers, in addition to opened containers, from young people who are drinking in a public place, or where a police officer reasonably believes that the young person intends to drink alcohol in that public place. If Parliament approves these strengthened police powers we intend to bring them into force as soon as possible following Royal Assent, which we expect during the summer.

---