---

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1225W—continued

Drug Rape

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces are equipped with readily available test kits to secure samples in the event of a complaint of drug rape. [129615]

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1226W

Caroline Flint: Twenty six police forces have ordered the Early Evidence Kit produced by the Forensic Science Service Scenesafe Unit. Scenesafe are the only suppliers of Early Evidence Kits approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Another supplier, Tetra, sell separate modules and some forces use Tetra's urine and mouth modules to make up their own kit. It is not known how many forces have done this, but the Forensic Science Service estimate that most forces have access to one or other kit.

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training in the specific handling of cases of drug rape is available to police forces; how many forces have taken up such training; and for what level of officer. [129616]

Ms Blears: Training for investigators in the handling of allegations of drug induced rape is contained within the Initial Crime Investigators Development Programme (ICIDP). This is a national programme, launched in February 2003 and endorsed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The training includes a knowledge of the various drugs that may be used and their effects; evidential and forensic considerations; and issues concerning victim care and evidence.

The training of uniformed officers who deal with sexual offence investigation (variously known as SOIT, SOLO or chaperones) is not currently delivered to a national programme. However, forces deliver a range of appropriate local training, including sexual offence training and drug induced rape issues. Numbers of forces providing such training are not currently known, but it features in a wide range of force training programmes.

Training for those officers, to agreed national standards, is currently being developed within the Sexual Offences Training Project at the Centre for Investigative Skills, National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre (NCPE). This is part of the response to the Home Office Action Plan to implement the recommendations of the HMCPSI/HMIC joint investigation into the investigation and prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape.

'Early Evidence Kits', developed by the Forensic Science Service in conjunction with the Police Service, have been available since 2002.

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that early support is available to the victims of drug rape who do not intend to report the matter to the police. [129625]

Caroline Flint: Victims of drug rape currently have access to all the support services available to victims of any type of sexual offence. These include local GP and hospital services, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), Victim Support and NHS Direct, all of which will support victims of any sexual crime, whether or not they intend to report the matter to the police. In addition, there are local rape crisis centres in some parts of the country providing services for women only or which are geared towards the needs of particular groups, such as people with disabilities.

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1227W

In July, the Home Office published a new national strategy, 'A new deal for victims and witnesses', which sets out our plans for ensuring that victims and witnesses of crime—including victims of sexual offences—get a better deal in future. One of the issues identified in the strategy is the need to ensure that there is better support for victims of sexual offences, including increased access to Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and rape crisis centres.

As well as supporting the further roll out of Sexual Assault Referral Centres and improving access to other forms of support, the Home Office also intends to set up a national helpline for victims of sexual offences.

Drug Treatment

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to page 38 of the 2003 Departmental Report, how many of the 5,500 probationers who entered drug treatment completed that treatment. [130504]

Paul Goggins: Government funding for drug treatment has more than doubled since 2000 to over £500 million pounds in 2003–04 and will rise further to £573 million by 2005–06. The number of problematic drug misusers entering treatment has also steadily increased over the last five years as treatment services have improved and become more widely available. The Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO) is the main criminal justice disposal for drug addicts who commit crime and require treatment. The order can last between six months and three years and currently over 53 per cent. of DTTO offenders have either successfully completed their order or are still engaging positively with their treatment. Last year 6,140 DTTOs were made.

Dungavel Detention Centre

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who has responsibility for the education of children detained at the Dungavel Detention Centre; and under what legislation this responsibility is given. [130417]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 16 September 2003]: Under sections 148 and 149 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 the management and operation of Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre has been contracted out to Premier Detention Services. Premier Detention Services is therefore responsible for the provision of all services at the centre including the education provision for both adults and

children.

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of (a) 7 August and (b) 18 August from the hon. Member for Perth regarding the Dungavel Detention Centre. [130418]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 16 September 2003]: My hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) replied to the hon. Member's letter of 7 August on 9 September. The hon. Member's letter of

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1228W

18 August was not received in this Department. A copy has been obtained from the hon. Member's office and there will be a reply as soon as possible.

Foreign Nationals (Deportation)

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals held in prison service custody who have been served with a deportation notice are currently awaiting a decision from him on a parole application. [130535]

Beverley Hughes: Information on the number of people held in Prison Service establishments who have been served with notice of intention to deport is not available except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals in prison service custody who have completed their sentence (a) are awaiting deportation, (b) have been awaiting deportation for between one and three months, (c) have been awaiting deportation for between three and six months, (d) have been awaiting deportation for between six and 12 months and (e) have been awaiting deportation for more than a year. [130536]

Beverley Hughes: Information on the number of people held in Prison Service establishments under the Immigration Act (2002) after completion of a custodial sentence is not available except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.

Forensic Science Service

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what profit/loss has been returned by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130271]

Ms Blears: Figures relating to the profit/loss returned by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992 are set out in the table:

	£000
1991–92	-1,113
1992–93	1,193
1993–94	-1,930
1994–95	769
1995–96	628
1996–97	-1,457
1997–98	3,035
1998–99	239
1999–2000	157
2000–01	3,695
2001–02	4,891
2002–03	10,232

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed by the Forensic Science Service (a) in total and (b) at its Wetherby site in each year since 1992. [130272]

Ms Blears: Information is currently available only for 1996–97 to 2002–03. The number of employees (permanent staff, counted as full-time equivalents) at 31 March of each of those years is as follows.

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1229W

Year	FSS total(60)	Wetherby
1997	1,167	115
1998	1,276	126
1999	1,677	183
2000	1,811	170
2001	2,230	222
2002	2,488	258
2003	2,603	273

⁽⁶⁰⁾ Forensic Science Service

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the police authorities in England and Wales used the services of the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130273]

Ms Blears: The Forensic Science Service has provided a service to all police authorities in each year since 1992 to the current year.

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of redundancy payments met by the Forensic Science Service in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [130274]

Ms Blears: There were no redundancies in 2001–02 or 2002–03. The current estimate of redundancy cost of 2003–04 is £6 million.

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the procedure is for the appointment of members to the Executive Board of the Forensic Science Service; and how many people serve on the Board. [130275]

Ms Blears: Appointments are made by the executive board after scrutiny by the Development and Remuneration Committee, and approval by the main board.

The Development and Remuneration Committee consists solely of independent members and the majority of members of the main board are non-executive directors.

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on research and development by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992. [130276]

Ms Blears: The value of research and development by the Forensic Science Service in each year since 1992 is set out in the table.

	£000
1991–92	2,506
1992–93	2,295
1993–94	1,671
1994–95	1,582
1995–96	1,656
1996–97	2,109
1997–98	2,235
1998–99	2,771
1999–2000	3,187
2000–01	3,173
2001–02	3,670
2002–03	3,417

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by the Forensic Science Service. [130478]

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1230W

Ms Blears: The number of people employees (permanent staff, counted as full-time equivalents) on 31 July 2003 was 2,649.

---