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16 Jun 2003 : Column 25W—continued
Transport Policies
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what strategy he uses to disseminate good practice in the areas of (a) public consultation, (b) design, (c) implementation, (d) maintenance and (e) marketing
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of transport policies to (i) local authorities, (ii) public transport operators and (iii) other transport operators; and if he will make a statement. [119132]
Mr. Jamieson: My Department aims to ensure that all individuals and organisations who contribute to, or are affected by, the delivery of its objectives are supplied with the information they need. In order to do this, it uses a variety of means to communicate with local authorities, the transport industries and other stakeholders, appropriate to the information being communicated and the target audience. These include direct dealings with individual authorities, companies, representative regulators, and professional and trade bodies, including trade unions; issuing of policy and technical guidance notes and publication of research; sponsorship of and participation in consultative committees and advisory forums; and dissemination of all types of information by paid publicity, press, broadcasting and new media.
Vehicle Excise Duty (Scotland)
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances there were of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997. [119706]
Mr. Jamieson: The figures for number of instances of VED evasion in Scotland for the years in question are as follows:
| Vehicles evading (000s) | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 107.2 |
| 1998–99 | 110.9 |
| 1999–2000 | 106.9 |
| 2000–01 | 110.9 |
| 2001–02 | 118.6 |
| 2002–03 | 126.4 |
The information requested as to breakdown by local authority could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997. [119876]
Mr. Jamieson: The figures for the cost of VED evasion in Scotland for the years in question are as follows:
| Revenue evaded (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 12.5 |
| 1998–99 | 13.2 |
| 1999–2000 | 12.6 |
| 2000–01 | 13.1 |
| 2001–02 | 13.4 |
| 2002–03 | 13.6 |
The information requested as to breakdown by local authority could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Restorative Justice
12. Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to extend the use of restorative justice with special reference to mediation and reparation. [119022]
Paul Goggins: The Government are keen to expand the use of restorative justice in the adult criminal justice system, as well as continuing to build on its success in the youth justice system. We will shortly publish a consultation document, which will outline our plans to increase the opportunity for mediation between offender and victims, and reparation to the community.
Anti-social Behaviour
13. Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on combating anti-social behaviour. [119024]
Fiona Mactaggart: Home Office Ministers, the National Director of the Anti-social Behaviour Unit and Members have received wide-ranging representations through formal and informal meetings, visits, and correspondence with members of the public, voluntary organisations, business organisations and local authorities. This has ensured that the White Paper, Bill and the Government's overall drive to tackle anti-social behaviour is based on the experiences of local communities faced with anti-social behaviour from across the country.
21. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the attitude of magistrates to breaches of Anti-social Behaviour Orders. [119032]
Ms Blears: We are aware that inconsistent sentences are being given for breaches of Anti-social Behaviour Orders around the country. To address this, the Home Office is working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Lord Chancellor Department (LCD) to draw up a protocol to ensure the court is made aware of the context of the anti-social behaviour on victims, witnesses, and communities when determining sentence. In addition, the Magistrate's Association is producing sentencing guidelines that are scheduled to be published this summer.
Drug Dealing
15. Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that properties which have been taken over by Class A drug dealers are quickly closed.
Caroline Flint: The Anti-social Behaviour Bill, which will be at Report Stage on 24 June 2003, contains as Part 1 the power to close premises where Class A drugs are being produced, used or supplied and there is serious nuisance.
This power is principally aimed at tackling Crack Houses and has been designed to ensure that any premises where dealers can continue their activities unobserved, and even in safety, can be rapidly closed
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and their occupants removed. This action can, if necessary, be resolved in 48 hours, providing immediate relief to the community.
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act
16. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the operation of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. [119027]
Beverley Hughes: Section 55, which came into operation on 8 January 2003, is one of a package of new measures to move towards a more streamlined and cohesive asylum system. Statistics on the operation of section 55 up to 31 March 2003 were published at the end of May 2003 and we are continuing to monitor the impact closely.
Prisons
17. Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Chief Inspector of Prisons to discuss prison overcrowding; and what the results of the discussions were. [119028]
Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn) met Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons on several occasions in recent months. I met Anne Owers on 9 June 2003 when we discussed a range of issues, including population pressures in prisons.
18. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safe cells were installed in prisons in the past 12 months; and how many are planned to be installed in the next 12 months. [119029]
Paul Goggins: In the last 12 months, 847 safer cells were installed and 122 are planned for installation during the next 12 months.
Extradition (United States)
20. Mr. Alistair Carmichael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the extradition treaty signed with the United States on 31 March. [119031]
Caroline Flint: The United States is our biggest single extradition partner so I am delighted that it has been possible to reach agreement on a new extradition treaty which modernises the 1977 and 1986 treaties. We hope that it will be possible to bring the new treaty into effect later this year.
Crack Cocaine
22. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to help communities which are affected by crack cocaine. [119033]
Caroline Flint: In December 2002, the Government published the first National Crack plan. It recognises the particular problems caused by crack cocaine and the need to take specific and focused actions to address them. The Plan requires action to prevent crack use, deal with the criminality and disorder associated with it and provide appropriate treatment for those using crack.
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That we are treating crack as a priority is illustrated by the power to close crack houses contained in the Anti-social Behaviour Bill. Premises, in particular crack houses which are venues for Class A drugs, to be supplied and used causing serious nuisance to the community and neighbours will be closed rapidly and effectively.
As a whole, the resources available to fight drugs are increasing from £1.026 million in 2002–03 to £1.483 million in 2005–06. We will ensure that in this expansion all elements of the drug strategy apply to crack, enabling:
- increased activity to disrupt crack markets and close crack houses;
new diversionary programmes for young people;
an expansion in the quantity and improvement in the quality of crack treatment; and
a raft of Criminal Justice interventions to get users into treatment.
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