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Public Service Agreement
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the process of negotiation is between his Department and local police forces in the setting of local policing targets in relation to Home Office Public Service Agreement 1. [109589]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Police Reform Act 2002 requires all police authorities to prepare and publish three-year strategic plans which are consistent with the national policing plan in force at that time. All police authorities have now submitted their strategic plans (exceptionally covering only two years, 2003–05, to bring them into line with crime and disorder reduction partnership strategies). Evaluation of these plans for consistency with the national policing plan is underway and particular attention is being given to the Public Service Agreement 1 (PSA) targets.
Scott Veach and Darren Franey
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the letter to him from the Liverpool coroner about the death of Scott Veach and Darren Franey. [109385]
Hilary Benn: Andre J. A. Rebello, Her Majesty's Coroner for the City of Liverpool, sent a letter to the Home Secretary on 25 March pursuant to Rule 43 of the Coroners' Rules, 1984.
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I have written to Dr. Rebello informing him that I share his concerns that the arrangements for policing the Mersey Tunnels should be safe and effective.
The Home Office has asked for the views of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and the Chief Executive of Mersey Travel on the issues raised in this investigation and how the policing of Mersey Tunnel should be carried out in future. Home Office and Department for Transport officials will then be taking forward work with the responsible organisations to address the issues.
Terrorism
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral answer of 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 10, on terrorism, for what reasons his Department's Press Office told journalists in April that Lord Falconer had not taken over from the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) the responsibility for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear co-ordination within his Department. [110798]
Mr. Blunkett: There is no record of my Department's Press Office telling any journalist that my noble Friend Lord Falconer had not taken over from my right hon. Friend for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) the responsibility for CBRN co-ordination within the Home Office.
Had the Home Office Press Office been asked the question posed by the hon. Member on Monday, they would have replied that I have oversight of all issues related to terrorism and security, including CBRN, and that Lord Falconer has responsibility for CBRN co-ordination working directly to me.
Travellers
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has asked the Association of Chief Police Officers to revise its guidance to forces on managing travellers. [109193]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Government published a Consultation Paper on Managing Unauthorised Camping Operational Guidance on 27 March. Once the consultation process has been completed and final guidance published, I understand from Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that they will revise their operational guidance to forces.
Visa Applications
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it is taking the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to process (a) straightforward and (b) non-straightforward further leave to remain visa applications at the latest date for which figures are available. [109506]
Beverley Hughes: We normally aim to screen all postal applications within three weeks and decide those that are straightforward at that point. Because of the high number of applications in the latter part of 2002,
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this increased to 10 weeks on average at the end of last year and the earlier part of this one. As a result of measures to improve this situation, the processing time for straightforward applications has reduced to six weeks on average and continued progress is being
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made towards our three-week target. Some non-straightforward cases are currently taking up to 12 months to decide. Measures are also being taken to reduce the turnaround time for applications of this sort.