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18 Nov 2003 : Column 828W—continued
Excel Exhibition Centre Protesters
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) of 16 September 2003, Official Report, column 662W, whether he has received the Metropolitan Police report; whether he intends to publish it; and if he will make a statement on the use of anti-terrorism legislation against the protesters at the Excel Exhibition Centre in London on 9 September. [139254]
Fiona Mactaggart: I received an interim report from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 18 September and a final report on 15 October. The report shows that what happened during the policing of the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair has not been routinely replicated across the force area from the time that the Terrorism Act 2000 came into force.
I welcome the steps that have been already been taken to deal with concerns at force level about the use of this power and the enhanced guidance and training that will
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be given to officers from this point on. I have also agreed with the MPS that we continue to be vigilant and ensure that these powers are deployed correctly.
Drug Offences
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested for drug offences in (a) Tyne and Wear, (b) the North East and (c) the UK in each year since 1997. [138433]
Caroline Flint: Information on the number of persons arrested for notifiable offences is collected at police force area level only. Available data on the number of persons arrested for drugs offences within Northumbria police force area and the North East region are given in the table for the years 1999–2000 to 2001–02. Information for earlier years is not available on a consistent basis. Statistics for 2002–03 will be available later this year.
Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.
| Northumbria police force area | North East region(23) | England and Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 4,719 | (24)8,300 | (24)121,200 |
| 2000–01 | 4,831 | (24)8,000 | (24)111,300 |
| 2001–02 | 5,473 | (24)9,300 | (24)116,600 |
(23) North East region comprises of Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland police force areas.
(24) Estimated. Durham data not supplied.
Identity Cards
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the costs involved in introducing a mandatory national identity card scheme in the UK. [132424]
Beverley Hughes: My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary announced on 11 November that the Government has decided to begin the process of introducing a national identity cards scheme following the consultation paper published in July 2002.
The Government are determined to ensure that the development of a national identity cards scheme is managed to the highest standards, and that the major business change and IT challenges which we face are dealt with effectively. A Programme Board is being established chaired by the Home Office to co-ordinate and drive forward the different elements of the Government strategy. Progress at every stage will be monitored and reviewed as further decisions are taken during the implementation. Before decisions are taken on implementation, there will be an intensive phase of feasibility assessment and prototyping so that decision making is soundly based and risks in the programme are kept to a minimum.
Once the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has confirmed that the programme is ready to proceed, by means of an OGC Gateway Zero review, we will publish draft legislation to enable the scheme to be introduced.
18 Nov 2003 : Column 830W
Set up costs for the first three years have been estimated at £36, £60 and £90 million. Costs thereafter will be covered by charges. Under the proposed scheme, we estimate that a 10 year plain identity card would cost most people approximately £35. The enhanced fee for a combined passport—identity card would be £77and a combined driving licence—identity card would be £73.
The proposed charging schedule would fund free cards for all 16 year olds and a reduced charge of £10 for those on low incomes. We are looking at how those who have been in retirement for some time could obtain a lifelong card, requiring no further payment and are also looking at whether plain identity cards could be paid for by instalments.
For very frail and elderly citizens it would be possible to issue a non-biometric card (for instance those with severe learning disabilities who are in residential care or those over 80).
People who held both a passport and a driving licence would only pay the additional charge for one document. This is because the charge covers the cost of establishing a more secure identity including recording the biometric information which only needs to happen once.
We will continue to work with potential suppliers and partners to ensure estimates are accurate, realistic and deliverable.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement on identity cards of 11 November 2003, Official Report, column 176, what was the basis for his estimate of savings to be made in benefit and related systems from introducing an ID card was. [139089]
Beverley Hughes: The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that the level of identity fraud in the benefit system is between £20 million and £50 million per annum. A national identity cards scheme would reduce this once cards were widely held. It could also help to streamline the process of allocating National Insurance numbers, though there are no plans in the first stage of the scheme to require the possession of a card in order to obtain a National Insurance number.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) police authorities and (b) other interested parties on the introduction of identity cards, with particular reference to the effect on under-age drinking; and if he will make a statement. [139440]
Beverley Hughes: "Identity Cards—A Summary of Findings from the Consultation Exercise on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud" (CM 6019) was published on 11 November 2003 and gives a summary of the comments received from organisations and from the public on identity cards.
It records (at page 111) that police organisations considered that an identity card scheme would assist licensees to control the sale of age related products and (at page 39) that 6 per cent. of members of the public who were surveyed and were in favour of identity cards gave "to stop under-age drinking" as a reason.
18 Nov 2003 : Column 831W
Immigration Appeals
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use in special immigration appeals committees of evidence obtained through torture in a foreign country. [139063]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 17 November 2003]: The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) has adopted the common law approach to evidence which may have been obtained elsewhere through the use of torture—save for evidence that is obtained from a party (usually the defendant in a criminal trial), all evidence is admissible, however unlawfully obtained. However, where that evidence may have been obtained by torture, this will bear on the proper weight to be given to the information. The means by which information is obtained therefore goes to its reliability and weight and not to its admissibility.
While we do not condone torture, we do have an obligation to protect national security and public safety and we would be deficient in this duty if we did not properly assess all information involved in association with the war on terror.
IT Equipment
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on purchasing and upgrading IT equipment in each of his Department's executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [138526]
Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested, which was provided to the hon. Gentleman on 30 October 2003 in response to UIN 135895, is as follows: Core Home Office:
Notes: 1. The figures are expenditure incurred by the Home Department 2. The figures exclude expenditure from the Department's Outsourced Managed Service Contracts for the provision of IT infrastructure services, where the assets have not transferred to the public sector.
| FinancialYear (FY) | Time Period | Totals (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 36,464,010 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 13,017,585 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 9,127,403 |
| 58,608,998 |
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 476,629 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 1,408,661 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 356,039 |
| 2,241,329 |
NCIS Note:
1. The period January 2002 to March 2002 includes the start of a major project to upgrade infrastructure and desktops to Windows 2000 (excludes laptops).
2. April 2002 to March 2003 includes the completion of the rollout of Windows 2000 and the acquisition of an electronic email archive.
3. April 2003 to September 2003 includes equipment to meet Business Continuity requirements.
18 Nov 2003 : Column 832W
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 4,000 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 251,000 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 176,000 |
| 431,000 |
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 32,117 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 671,639 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 103,164 |
| 806,920 |
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 136,611 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 650,314 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 60,980 |
| 847,905 |
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | N/A |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | N/A |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 1,540,171 |
| 1,540,171 |
IPCC Note:
IPCC is a new Agency and as such has no IT expenditure prior to this financial year. All costs for 2003 are connected with the start up operation of the IPCC.
Asset Recovery Agency (ARA):
The return for the Asset Recovery Agency is NIL as until very recently, IT was encompassed within a Managed Service Contract for the ARA premises and as such the IT spend element was not transparent.
Criminal Cases Review Commission:
After six years of operation the Criminal Cases Review Commission is now undertaking a programme of upgrades to software and hardware in line with its Information Systems strategy. This means that expenditure in the periods of the question is higher than would be the case for simply routine operations.
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 6,508 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 223,480 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 58,630 |
| 288,618 |
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | 585,000 |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | 3,063,000 |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 1,942,000 |
| 5,590,000 |
18 Nov 2003 : Column 833W
| Time Period | Totals (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Part FY | 01 January 2002–31 March 2002 | Included in Home Office return |
| Full FY | 01 April 2002–31 March 2003 | Included in Home Office return |
| Part FY | 01 April 2003–30 September 2003 | 16,000 |
| 16,000 |
Note: Security Industry Authority
The SIA was established 1 April 2003. Prior to this date any IT spend associated with the set up would have been covered within the core Home Office expenditure.
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