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6 May 2003 : Column 603W—continued
Probation Services
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average change in (a) management, (b) maintenance of property and (c) hostel facilities costs for probation areas is in England and Wales in 2003–04. [109565]
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Hilary Benn: The National Probation Directorate (NPD) does not have reliable data on the cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2002–03 and therefore there is no realistic baseline by which any cost increase can be measured. The cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2003–04 will not accurately be known until the end of the year when audited accounts are produced. The total revenue budget for 2003–04 is about £60 million for the commercial estate and about £14 million for the approved premises. This includes rents, rates, utility costs, depreciation and capital charges and also management and maintenance costs. The exact split of this budget for 2003–04 is still being determined as the NPD collects more accurate detailed data on costs. This will also depend on a number of factors, which will include the numbers and types of properties that are occupied and disposed of during the year and the extent of the repair and maintenance required.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in (a) management, (b) maintenance of property and (c) hostel facilities costs for probation areas is for 2003–04 in (i) Avon and Somerset, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) West Yorkshire, (iv) Staffordshire, (v) Lancashire, (vi) Greater London, (vii) Kent and (viii) Thames Valley. [109566]
Hilary Benn: The National Probation Directorate (NPD) does not have reliable data on the cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2002–03 by individual probation area and therefore there is no realistic baseline by which any cost increase can be measured. The cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2003–04 by individual probation area will not accurately be known until the end of the year when audited accounts are produced. The total revenue budget for 2003–04 is about £60 million for the commercial estate and about £14 million for the approved premises. This includes rents, rates, utility costs, depreciation and capital charges and also management and maintenance costs. The exact split of this budget for 2003–04 between individual probation areas is still being determined as the NPD collects more accurate detailed data on costs. This will also depend on a number of factors, which will include the numbers and types of properties that are occupied and disposed of during the year and the extent of the repair and maintenance required to properties in each area.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the status of the "What Works" programme in the national probation service. [109592]
Hilary Benn: An evidence-based approach to probation practice is essential if the National Probation Service's work with offenders is to be effective in reducing re-offending and improving public protection. "What Works" is therefore at the heart of the Director General's on-going change programme for the Service and is vital to its success.
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The National Probation Service has 13 accredited offending behaviour programmes with others in development. Other important elements of What Works include the introduction this year of Enhanced Community Punishment, the development of community re-integration approaches in relation to employment, training and education, and the development of a national case management framework. What Works is underpinned by the new Offender Assessment System, the implementation of which is well advanced.
Public Service Agreement Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department. [109460]
Mr. Blunkett: Monitoring progress towards the department's targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation.
Staff Numbers
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have (a) joined and (b) left his Department in the last six months, broken down by grade. [109573]
Mr. Blunkett: I have placed the tables showing figures obtained from the centrally managed area of the Home Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Merseyside Personnel Management area, the Prison Service Agency, Forensic Science Service, and the Passport and Records Agency in the Library. Both methods of entry to the Department and leaving methods have been grouped to show the broad methods.
Vehicle Crime Regulations
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Vehicle Crime (Registration of Registration Plate Suppliers) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations. [110506]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply
The regulations referred to introduce a minor amendment to correct a drafting error in the Vehicles Crime (Registration Plate Suppliers) (England and Wales) Regulations.
The register of number plate suppliers has been operational since 1 January and over 30,000 retail outlets have registered. We have received numerous requests for clarification, but all the indications are that businesses are adjusting their procedures to comply with the new regulations.
Work Permits
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 310W, on work permits, how many individuals were granted a discretionary
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extension of stay for the purpose of work permit employment in the last two years where that individual did not meet the normal criteria. [109605]
Beverley Hughes: It is not possible to extract from the information recorded on the management systems used by Work Permits (UK) the figure showing the number of individuals who were granted a discretionary extension of stay for the purpose of work permit employment, where the individual did not meet the normal criteria.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Visually Impaired People
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what factors underlie the decision not to include a requirement for access technology for visually impaired people in the funding for the People's Network and UK online; what plans she has to include it; and if she will make a statement; [110478]
- (2) if she will make it her policy to ensure that when public money is made available to libraries a proportion of it is allocated to library services and to access to books for visually impaired people; and if she will make a statement; [110480]
(3) what plans she has to ensure that the review of the Public Library Standards of England and Wales will ensure that there are specific requirements for library services to visually impaired people; [110479]
(4) what assessment she has made of the access to reading of visually impaired people; and what plans she has to assist the charities who work in this field to improve the level of access; [110481]
Mr. Caborn: Applications for Capital Modernisation Funding (CMF) to support UK Online centres had to include access provision for those with physical, learning, or sensory disabilities. Successful bidders would have received appropriate equipment. UK Online includes a public libraries element, The People's Network, which is funded by the National Lottery through the New Opportunities Fund, allows each computer to be configured for those with visual impairments.
In addition, 811 packages, made available to online centres, include large keyboards together with magnification and screen reading software, which incorporates voice output for text.
The Office of the e-Envoy has also established a Working Group of those in the website design industry to improve accessibility and the Department for Education and Skills is investing significant sums to facilitate the implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) which will broaden access to education, and educational material. The Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 removes barriers to obtaining copyright clearance for voluntary bodies and educational establishments working on behalf of the visually impaired. A commencement order is expected to be made shortly.
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Current Public Library Standards encourage Library Authorities to provide effective, and relevant services reinforced by the creation of local targets which focus on important user groups including those with disabilities. A review of existing Public Library Standards will, of course, include consideration of how the standards should best reflect the needs of the visually impaired and other specialist users.
Within the local authority Standard Spending Assessment there is block funding for cultural services, including Public Libraries. In accordance with the policy for local government, outlined in the White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Service", there is no intention to 'ring-fence' funds to the public library service. Each local authority must use its own discretion when allocating funds in this area. No formal assessment of access to reading for the visually impaired has been made. The Government are committed to ensuring that disabled people can participate in every aspect of normal life, although, in considering public expenditure, the Government must also take into account a wide range of competing priorities. A number of different Government Departments have an interest in this policy area, and activity is wide and varied, including improving access to books and publications in alternative formats.
The Director General of the RNIB has recently written to Government Departments setting out a series of recommendations and actions which he would like to see put in place. A meeting of officials from across Whitehall is planned for mid-May and, it is expected that an announcement of what assistance might be available will follow soon after.
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