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Prisoner Transfers

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many vehicles he has had available on average on each day in the last three months for the transfer of prisoners (a) between prisons and (b) between court and prison; and how many vehicles are operated by the private sector; [137482]

(2) how many prisoners on average were transferred each day between prisons and between court and prison in the last three months. [137483]

Paul Goggins: There were around 1,600 prisoner movements between courts and prisons and around 300 prisoners transferred between prisons by private sector contractors on average, each day, in the last three months. No central record is kept of prisoners transferred by the Prison Service.

On average, 760 vehicles were available each day in the last three months for the transfer of prisoners, 706 of which were operated by private sector contractors. 54 vehicles are owned by and are available to the Prison Service.

Prison Reception Areas

Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those of Her Majesty's Prisons that have no covered reception area for visitors. [138152]

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Paul Goggins: The procedures for managing visitors awaiting entry to a prison varies at each establishment and is not recorded centrally.

The provision of a covered area immediately outside the gates is often dependent on the structural design of the prison building. However, around 109 establishments provide a visitors' centre which offers visitors both shelter and, in most cases, support services that are available before and immediately after the visit is due to take place.

Many of those who do not have a centre provide basic facilities such as a waiting area. Recent enquiries suggest that around 10 prisons appear to have no current plans for a visitors' centre and we are exploring with them their intentions in terms of assisting visitors.

Prison Suicides

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being introduced to reduce the suicide rate in prisons apart from the installation of safe cells. [138369]

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service is in the final year of a three-year programme to develop policies and practices to reduce prisoner suicide in prisons. Over the next few months the outcome of this programme will be reviewed taking into account pilot project evaluations and emerging research findings. The next steps and approaches will be resolved in consultation with partner agencies such as the Youth Justice Board and outside organisations such as Samaritans.

As part of this close partnership with other agencies and organisations, there has been a targeting of efforts where the risks are highest. A particular focus, and an investment of over £21 million over the three year programme, has been on physical improvements at six pilot sites. These improvements have been in reception, first night and induction areas, installing more first night centres, and by having more crisis suites and gated cells that enable staff to watch at-risk prisoners closely.

Dedicated drug detoxification units and mental health in-reach support have also been established, along with a series of inter-related projects to develop improved suicide prevention and self-harm management policies, concentrating on pre-reception, reception and induction arrangements; inter-agency information exchange; prisoner care and peer support, and learning from investigations into deaths in custody.

Prison Service Suicide Prevention Co-ordinators have been trained and are now operating in the majority of prisons. Additionally, the Samaritans are recruiting and training more prisoner peer supporters (known as Listeners) in high-risk establishments. Listeners are prisoner volunteers who are selected, trained and supported by Samaritans to offer confidential support to their fellow prisoners who may be at risk of suicide, otherwise in crisis, or simply in need of someone to talk to. 1,241 new Listeners were recruited between 1 October 2001 and 31 March 2003 with further recruitment and training continuing. The scheme's objectives are to assist in preventing suicide, reducing self-harm and to help alleviate the feelings of those in distress.

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Race Equality

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 in promoting race equality; and what criteria he applied in carrying out the assessment. [137059]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government work closely with the Commission for Racial Equality, (CRE) which has statutory responsibility for enforcing the duty to promote race equality under the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000).

The CRE commissioned Schneider-Ross, a firm of diversity consultants to evaluate the response of public authorities to the statutory duty to promote race equality. The research had two main elements, quantitative and qualitative, covering two core stages. The first of these was a questionnaire based survey of 3,338 public authorities and educational institutions, using two questionnaires designed to address the different elements of the general and specific duties that apply to the two broad categories. The second was an analysis of a random sample of 143 race equality schemes and policies from the main sectors covered by the duty, assessed against the recommendations of CRE Code of Practice and CRE guidance materials.

The Schneider-Ross report found that overall local government was the highest achieving sector. Around a third of local authorities were on track; a third had good foundations to respond well to the duty to promote, and, a third needed to carry out more work in order to comply. The criminal justice service was strong, especially in the police and probation services. The weakest sector was schools.

The Home Office has initiated a Race Relations (Amendment) Act Strategic Sectoral Audit.

The audit is a sector by sector analysis of whether the key ingredients for success are present or not in each sector. The work on mapping the landscape of current sector activity builds on the findings of the Schneider-Ross survey. We are working closely with the CRE to take this forward quickly so that necessary support and attention can be made available to those public bodies who need it.

Hendon Police College (Racism)

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to deal with the issue of racism at the Peel Centre Police College, Hendon; and if he will make a statement. [136824]

Ms Blears: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the Department of Professional Standards and senior managers at Hendon Training College have already taken action on recently reported cases. One student at Hendon has resigned as a result of making racist comments; two fellow students have been suspended as a result of failing to report the above incident; one student has resigned as a result of making a sexist comment.

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The Commissioner has recently established a working group to bring together work already undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to race and diversity. Part of this work includes a review of Hendon Training School.

Rape

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for rape involving the use of drugs there were in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) the first half of 2003. [129669]

Paul Goggins: The statistics collected centrally do not enable convictions for rape involving the use of drugs to be identified.

Staff Training (Non-departmental Public Bodies)

Mrs Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is compulsory for his Department's staff to undertake training on the Home Office/non-departmental public body relationship as soon as they begin dealing with NDPBs. [138244]

Fiona Mactaggart: For each Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), there is a corresponding Sponsor Team who are the first point of contact in the Home Office, and are responsible for managing the relationship. These Sponsor Teams are collectively supported by an Advisory Team, offering specialist knowledge, and a network of contacts across the Home Office and in other Government Departments.

Individual Home Office members of staff agree personal development and training plans annually with their managers. This would be undertaken immediately they join a Sponsor Team or the Central Advisory Team. In either of these teams training is not mandatory but is tailored to the individuals according to theirs and the Department's need.

Mrs Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances training is given to his Department's staff who deal with non-departmental public bodies. [138245]

Fiona Mactaggart: For each Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), there is a corresponding Sponsor Team who are the first point of contact in the Home Office, and are responsible for managing the relationship. These Sponsor Teams are collectively supported by an Advisory Team, offering specialist knowledge, and a network of contacts across the Home Office and in Other Government Departments.

Individual Home Office members of staff agree personal development and training plans annually with their managers. This would be undertaken immediately they join a Sponsor Team or the Central Advisory Team.

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