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10 Feb 2004 : Column 1427W—continued
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue policy guidance to the police to take action to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles using the third lane on motorways. [153249]
Caroline Flint: I agree with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that guidance is unnecessary at this time.
The majority of HGV drivers adhere to the law and do not use the third lane. I know there will always be a small minority who exercise poor lane discipline, and their actions can cause annoyance. There is however little evidence to suggest this is causing any significant problem.
Home Detention Curfew
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners released on home detention curfew (HDC) since January 1999 (a) have been convicted, (b) have been cautioned, (c) have been prosecuted and (d) are awaiting prosecution whilst on HDC. [152705]
Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member.
Identity Card
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps will be taken by his Department to minimise the potential for identity card fraud (a) before and (b) following the introduction of the proposed identity card scheme. [152680]
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Beverley Hughes: The Government are committed to maximising the security of the identity card scheme. Security is central to the design of the IT systems, the processes and the card itself. Following introduction of the scheme the Government will work to maintain the scheme's security and to combat fraudulent use, building on experience gained manufacturing and issuing other sensitive documents such as passports and residence permits.
Within the scheme the use of biometric technology will be key to ensuring security and defeating attempts at fraud. A trial examining the use of biometrics in identity cards is currently under way, led by the UK Passport Service.
Police
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the benefits to Gwent Police of the Tetra communication system. [153031]
Ms Blears: By mid-2006, all police forces in England, Wales and Scotland will be using Airwave, their new radio system.
Airwave provides modern and efficient radiocommunications, giving excellent coverage and secure transmissions and improving the safety of police officers and the public.
In Gwent, officers are able to use Airwave handsets in 96 per cent. of the force area, compared with 30 per cent. coverage using the old radio system. Airwave car radios can be used in 99 per cent. of the force area, compared with 90 per cent. previously. This increased coverage allows officers to attend incidents safely in areas such as Forest Coalpit, Llanthony and the Wye Valley, which was not possible with the previous radio system.
Police Disciplinary Procedures
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with chief constables concerning the impact on staff morale of long-term suspensions and investigations of police officers. [152447]
Ms Blears: There have been discussions on suspensions in which staff morale was raised but the main features of those discussions were to do with the operational and public interest needs of keeping an officer suspended. Such discussions related to the operation of the power to suspend police officers under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999 and the supporting guidance and were conducted within a sub-group of the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales. The Association of Chief Police Officers is represented on this sub-group as are the Superintendents' Association and the Police Federation. As a result of discussions held, the guidance on suspension was amended in November 2003 in a number of respects including a requirement to ensure that the continuing need for suspension is subject to, at least, monthly reviews.
There have been no discussions concerning the impact on staff morale of the investigation of police officers. Staff morale is a matter for the chief constable and his
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human resources department. Every officer who is suspended has the support of the staff associations and access to the force staff welfare department.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average (a) time and (b) cost of the suspension of police officers in England and Wales where complaints were made against them was in the latest period for which figures are available. [152452]
Ms Blears: Information concerning the (a) time and (b) cost of the suspension of police officers in England and Wales is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I cannot therefore provide the average requested.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he makes of the (a) cash costs of complaints against police officers and (b) the length of time they take to resolve when determining the budget of each police authority. [152454]
Ms Blears: No central assessment is made of the cash costs of complaints against police officers. This is a matter for individual police authorities and forces.
The budget of each police force is a matter for each police authority. The funding formula used as the basis for allocating Home Office police grant to police authorities takes into account general operational needs, but does not specifically address complaints investigation costs.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the costs of the suspension by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary of Stuart Elford, identifying the (a) associated legal fees, (b) cost of the investigation and (c) cost of the involvement of the Police Complaints Authority. [152455]
Ms Blears: Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have advised that Stuart Elford was paid £57,500 in salary and housing allowance during the period of his suspension. I am also advised that:
- (a) no external legal fees were incurred by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary during the course of the investigation;
- (b) the estimated cost of the investigation was £6,500; and
- (c) the Police Complaints Authority do not cost their involvement in individual investigations.
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Police Grants
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to inform police authorities of the amounts that they will receive from specific grants for the financial year 2004–05. [150632]
Ms Blears [holding answer 26 January 2004]: Police Authorities are notified of specific grant allocations as soon as they are decided.
Details of the largest Fund (£277 million), The Crime Fighting Fund, as well as the £30 million Rural Policing Fund, were announced on 19 November. We are shortly to announce allocations for the Street Crime Initiative (£24 million)
Allocations of Basic Command Unit funding (£50 million) will be announced shortly, as will those for Special Priority Payments which are based on force budgeted paybill returns.
Police authorities are aware that in 2004–05 they will receive continuation funding (75 per cent.) for Community Support Officers recruited in 2002–03 and 50 per cent. funding for officers who are in some cases still being recruited in 2003–04. Final figures will be announced when the full costs are clear.
Payments of grant for the London Pay Lead and South East Allowances are based on force returns throughout the year.
Police Numbers
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers there were in each police force in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997; [152596]
- (2) how many (a) Ministry of Defence police officers, (b) British Transport Police officers, (c) UK Atomic Energy Constabulary officers, (d) Port of Dover Police officers, (e) National Crime Squad officers and (f) police force officers there were in each year since 1997. [152597]
Ms Blears: The table gives the number of police officers from 1997 to 2003 in each police force area in England and Wales.
Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
(54) Full-time equivalents
(55) Comparable strength
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