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8 Sept 2003 : Column 58W—continued

Departmental Entertainment Budget

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's hospitality budget (a) is in 2002–03 and (b) was in each of the last three years; and how much was left unspent at the end of each financial year. [99507]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 533W.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of regional variations in staff turnover in his Department. [112744]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office has not made a comprehensive study of regional variations in staff turnover.

However, employee turnover is an important factor in considering payment of locational allowances for recruitment and retention purposes. Her Majesty's Treasury 2003 Pay Remit guidance specifically requires that local pay be considered, and analysis of employee turnover forms part of the Home Office's approach to this task.

Departmental Website

Dr. Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions he has taken or is taking to ensure that the websites of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if he will make a statement. [117333]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office requires that all websites under its management be designed to meet government and international guidelines on accessibility. All new websites will be accessibility tested before publication, taking account of the guidelines recently issued by the e-Envoy as part of the Quality Framework for UK Government Website Design.

Although some existing sites may not meet all of the criteria required, a review is being planned within a project to redevelop the Home Office website with the intention that these rigorous standards should be applied retrospectively.

Depleted Uranium Thefts

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the security implications of the theft of 30lb of depleted uranium from a site in Thurrock in July. [126329]

Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 17 July 2003]: I understand from Essex Police that the incident is being treated as a crime of theft of a vehicle. The van contained a box made of depleted uranium which was part of the normal emergency equipment carried in case there should be a problem with a radiation source in an instrument used for site radiography. The box was empty at the time of the theft and did not itself pose a significant risk from radioactivity.

There is no indication the theft was in any way connected to terrorism.

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions depleted uranium has been stolen from (a) the plant in Thurrock and (b) from other sites elsewhere in the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [126314]

Mr. Blunkett: In the past five years, the Health and Safety Executive have received only one report of depleted uranium being stolen or missing from the site in Thurrock. That was following the theft of a van on 7 July 2003. The van contained a box made of depleted uranium which was part of the normal emergency equipment carried in case there should be a problem with a radiation source in an instrument used for site radiography. The box was empty at the time of the theft and did not itself pose a significant risk from radioactivity.

Thurrock have made no other reports of depleted uranium being stolen or lost. Records for the UK are not held centrally.

Domestic Violence

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 577W, on domestic violence, how much of the funding that will be made available over the next three years to support work to develop mainstream responses to domestic violence will be provided to Surrey; and when the funds will be available. [126056]

8 Sept 2003 : Column 59W

Ms Blears: The Home Office is conducting a mapping exercise involving Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and Government offices, to inform the allocation of this funding; which will then be available to CDRPs and Government offices from the second half of this year.

IT Contracts

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outsourced IT contracts have been signed by his Department in each year since 1997; how much each of these contracts is worth; with whom they are signed; how many have been renegotiated; how many are still in place; and if he will make a statement. [126198]

Fiona Mactaggart: Since 1997 the Home Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have outsourced the following IT services, which are listed:













Khat

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the level of consumption of Khat in the UK; what plans he has to (a) control and (b) reduce Khat consumption; and if he will make a statement. [127515]

Caroline Flint: There are no centrally collected figures for the level of cat (or Khat) consumption, but Her Majesty's Customs and Excise estimates that between seven and 10 tonnes of the plant are imported into the United Kingdom each week.

8 Sept 2003 : Column 60W

The Government has no plans at present to control Khat under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, but the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which advises on these matters, keeps its legal status under review. The Home Office's Drugs and Alcohol Research Unit is shortly to embark on a detailed study to assess the level of harm caused by Khat. It is expected that a final report will be completed in September 2004, with interim findings being available in April 2004. The report will inform future decisions on whether Khat should be controlled within the 1971 Act.

The Government is considering ways to address the problems of Khat misuse as part of a wider diversity initiative to ensure that the national drug strategy meets the needs of all our communities. This will include the development of appropriate drug prevention materials and information to raise awareness about the Khat misuse.

Leighton Buzzard Police Station

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants are available from his Department to improve Leighton Buzzard police station, with particular reference to enabling (a) the restoration of a custody suite, (b) longer opening hours and (c) the provision of space for a greater officer establishment. [126374]

Ms Blears: Police authorities receive general capital grant and credit (borrowing) approvals to support funding their capital plans.

In 2002–03 my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary established the Premises Improvement Fund to assist police authorities further in modernising the police estate and communications technology. The fund of £20 million is a matched funding initiative.

Police authorities have been invited to submit bids for a second round of the scheme. Results will be announced later in the year.

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