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11 Nov 2003 : Column 238W—continued
Illegal Drugs (Afghan Poppy Production)
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on poppy production in Afghanistan in relation to the supply of illegal drugs in the United Kingdom. [136623]
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Caroline Flint: Afghanistan has in recent years been the country from which upwards of 90 per cent. of heroin available in the UK has originated. Until levels of production of opium in Afghanistan reduce substantially from their current levels we would not expect to see an appreciable reduction in the amounts of heroin targeted on the UK from that source.
London Anti-war Demonstration (Policing)
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who was in command of policing the anti-war demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 27 September. [137386]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 November 2003]: The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tell me that the Metropolitan Police Public Order Branch were responsible for the arrangements and the policing of the anti-war demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 27 September.
National Probation Service
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria will be used to judge whether a chair of a probation board in England and Wales will be re-appointed; and whether chairs will be re-appointed provisionally. [136002]
Paul Goggins: The criteria for reappointment are set out in a competency based framework agreed for probation board chairs and other members. The framework covers five key areas of corporate governance:
- Corporate responsibility—being collectively responsible and accountable for leadership, direction and control of the probation area
Organisational excellence—leading the service as it strives for organisational excellence through continuous improvement
Valuing and Enabling Diversity—understanding and appreciating the impact that valuing and managing difference can make to organisational effectiveness
Ambassador—promoting and representing the board and the service both internally and externally
Working with People—achieving results through effective communication and team working.
Those board chairs appointed when the National Probation Service was created in 2001 finish their first term of office on 31 March 2004. Those wishing to serve a further term have already been assessed and have been informed as to whether they will be reappointed. In accordance with good practice the appointments themselves will be made near the start of the term of office.
Northumbria Police Force
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding was allocated to the Northumbria Police Force in each year since 1997. [137471]
Ms Blears: The information is set out in the tables.
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| Government grant(18) | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 173,660 |
| 1998–99 | 185,169 |
| 1999–2000 | 192,021 |
| 2000–01 | 198,084 |
| 2001–02 | 208,741 |
| 2002–03(19) | 211,102 |
| 2003–04 | 225,208 |
(18) Government Grant includes Home Office Police grant, ODPM Revenue Support Grant and national non-domestic rates, Crime Fighting Fund, Basic Command Unit funding, Community Support Officer funding, DNA Expansion Programme and Special Priority payments.
(19) The grant figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are not directly comparable, owing to changes from 2002–03 in the method of funding the National Crime Squad and the National Criminal Intelligence Service. Based on the new arrangements, comparable grant figure for 2001–02 would have been £203,868,972.
In addition, Northumbria received the following funding in capital grant, including Airwave and the Premises Improvement Fund.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 7,719 |
| 1998–99 | 8,479 |
| 1999–2000 | 5,408 |
| 2000–01 | 2,844 |
| 2001–02 | 11,780 |
| 2002–03 | 5,552 |
| 2003–04 | 5,786 |
Parliamentary Ombudsman
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last two years a report from the Ombudsman has resulted in a payment by his Department to the complainant. [135223]
Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 3 November 2003]: For the year 2001–02, 21 cases resulted in payment by the Department.
Six were as a result of investigation (two of which were discontinued before full report was issued). £6,185.00. 15 cases resolved short of statutory investigation i.e. by inquiry of Department. £2,650.00.
For the year 2002–03, 47 cases resulted in payment by the Department. 13 were as a result of investigation (four of which were discontinued before full report was issued). £13,359.00. 34 cases resolved short of statutory investigation i.e. by inquiry of Department. £4,167.00.
Information on the handling of complaints is set out in tabular form by the Parliamentary Ombudsman each year as an attachment to his Annual Report. For those complaints where there was evidence of maladministration which warranted a full investigation, the table sets out how many complaints were upheld as being fully or partially justified. Copies of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Report can be viewed in the Library, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications.
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Police
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police officer manning levels in the Lancashire Police Authority area. [137212]
Ms Blears: Decisions on the balance between police officers and police (support) staff is a matter for the Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary (Paul Stephenson QPM). At the end of August 2003, the force had record strength of 3,469 police officers. This is 130 more than in March 2003 and 165 more than in March 2002. I understand that the force has forecast strength for 31 March 2004 at 3,503 officers. In March 2003, the force had 1,489 police (support) staff, which is 47 more than in March 2002.
Additionally, Lancashire Constabulary had 77 Community Support Officers on 31 August 2003, with plans to have 107 by March 2004.
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to merge constabularies in the area of the Government Office for the West Midlands. [137623]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 November 2003]: I have no plans to merge constabularies in the area of the Government Office of the West Midlands.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1242W, on the police, how many police officers licensed to carry firearms in each year since 1997 were (a) suspended and (b) prevented from carrying firearms; and if he will make a statement. [136946]
Ms Blears: Information concerning the numbers of police officers licensed to carry firearms in each year since 1997 and (a) suspended and (b) prevented from carrying firearms is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police response vehicles are available (a) in each London borough and (b) to the (i) British Transport Police and (ii) Royal Parks Police; and if he will make a statement. [136866]
Ms Blears: The information is provided as follows:
(a) The statistics for borough based response vehicles are set out in the table. These have been provided by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis:
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The Metropolitan Police Service also holds vehicles equipped to attend emergency calls, attached to specialist units.
(b) (i) The British Transport Police has a total of 345 vehicles that can act as response vehicles.
(ii) The Royal Parks Constabulary has two police response vehicles.
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