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Interception of Communications

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether operations by law enforcement agencies involving the bouncing of radio beams off window panes to secure the content of conversations taking place within the room require prior approval through a warrant under the Interception of Communications Act 1985; what controls there are on the use of such technology; whether he requires to be notified in advance of each use of such equipment; and if he will make a statement. [158912]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 5 March 2004]: The Interception of Communications Act 1985 has been repealed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Part II of RIPA provides for the authorisation of covert surveillance, including surveillance carried out in relation to anything taking place in residential premises by means of a surveillance device. Where the device is not present on the premises, directed surveillance may be authorised—unless the device

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consistently provides information of the same quality and detail as might be expected from a device actually present on the premises, in which case authorisation for intrusive surveillance should be granted.

Deployment of any surveillance device by law enforcement agencies must be lawful and undertaken only after consideration of necessity and proportionality of that deployment. The Secretary of State is not required to be notified. Authorisation of both intrusive and directed surveillance by law enforcement agencies is subject to independent oversight by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether access by law-enforcement agencies to conversations in a private place gained through the use of a person's mobile telephone as a transmitter constitutes an interception of communications requiring express authorisation by warrant. [158913]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 5 March 2004]: Part III of the Police Act 1997 and Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) provide for the authorisation of lawful interference with property and wireless telegraphy, and for the authorisation of intrusive surveillance respectively. Authorisation of such conduct by law enforcement agencies is subject to independent oversight by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner. Part I of RIPA provides for the warranted interception of communications only in the course of their transmission by means of a public telecommunications system.

Munby Judgment

Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Munby Judgment, when he will provide a separate escort service for young people sentenced to custody. [154426]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 11 February 2004]: Although Mr. Justice Munby referred briefly to evidence relating to the escort service, he did not make any ruling or give any opinion whether a separate escort service for juvenile offenders was needed.

Escort services are provided by private companies under contract to the Prison Service (for those sent to Young Offender Institutions) and the Youth Justice Board (for those sent to secure training centres or local authority secure children's homes (LASCHs)). The secure training centre/LASCH escort service is exclusively for 12 to 17-year-olds. Those sent to Young Offender Institutions may be carried in vehicles with older offenders, but there are requirements in the contract to achieve separation from over-18-year-olds.

A tender exercise is currently under way for the next round of Prison Service escort contracts, which are due to commence in August 2004. The Prison Service has asked bidders to include the provision of separate vehicles for juveniles as an option in their bids. Whether this option is pursued will depend upon consideration of the bids as a whole.

Welfare clauses in the Prison Service escort contracts provide for those at risk. They emphasise the need for care and sensitivity with newly-remanded or -sentenced prisoners; and for recognition of religious and cultural

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needs and the needs of those with sensory impairment or disability or problems with communication. Handover procedures are designed to ensure that contractor's staff and other agencies communicate with each other about welfare issues. Operating procedures are kept under constant review; with a view to identifying and correcting weaknesses.

Police

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the guidelines are for dealing with 999 calls for the police; and what he sets as the expected response time. [158785]

Ms Blears: There are no national guidelines for answering and responding to 999 calls. Responsibility for deciding the most appropriate time to answer and respond to 999 calls lies with the chief officer in each police force area. However, the vast majority of forces are committed to answering 999 calls within times ranging from five to 15 seconds and attending to calls requiring an immediate response within 10 minutes for urban areas and 20 minutes for rural areas.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 243W, on police, how many accidents in the last two years in (a) London and (b) England and Wales resulted in the vehicle being written off; and at what cost. [160210]

Caroline Flint: Information is not collected centrally on the number and cost of police vehicle accidents that result in a vehicle being written off.

Policemen's Helmets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on the design of policemen's helmets; and if he will make a statement. [159390]

Ms Blears: The traditional police helmet is currently subject to investigation as to whether the design can be modified to provide a greater level of protection. Alternative headgear is necessary to ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and a prototype designed to meet operational requirements is being trialled in three police forces (Dyfed Powys, Greater Manchester and Wiltshire) from 1 March for a period of three months. If the design performs satisfactorily, it is proposed to widen the trial from May to a further two forces (Thames Valley and Dorset).

The final design will be subject to approval by Ministers. It is not intended that it should replace the existing helmet, but will ensure that officers have appropriate headgear where specific risk assessment has shown it is necessary. It will be the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to decide when it is appropriate for the new headgear to be issued and worn.

Prison Lavatories

Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners do not have access to lavatory facilities and rely on slopping out. [158109]

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Paul Goggins: All prisoners in normal location accommodation have access to sanitation either by means of integral sanitation, electric unlocking, manual unlocking or open access.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons have sprinklers fitted in their residential areas. [157067]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 27 February 2004]: Only one prison (HMP The Weare) has sprinklers fitted in residential parts.

HMP The Wear is a floating structure and as such subject to the Safety of Life at Sea Regulations, which require sprinklers to be fitted.

"Reducing Crime, Changing Lives"

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to give the Probation Service a new name following the publication of the Carter Report. [155612]

Paul Goggins: The structure of the National Offender Management Service is yet to be finalised and no immediate changes to the Probation Service are planned.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he received from Napo following the publication of the Carter Report. [155615]

Paul Goggins: We have received a response from the National Association of Probation Officers to the request made in the "Reducing Crime—Changing Lives" document for views from stakeholders.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reasons underlay his decision not to consult with Napo prior to publication of his response to the Carter Report. [155616]

Paul Goggins: Reducing Crime—Changing Lives sets out the Government's initial response to the Carter report.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has sought and continues to seek views from stakeholders, including the National Association of Probation Officers, key on a number of issues relating to the effective management of offenders.

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for future (a) employment status, (b) job security, (c) pay and conditions and (d) collective bargaining arrangements for the Probation Service following the publication of the Carter Report. [155619]

Paul Goggins: The structure of the National Offender Management Service is yet to be finalised and no immediate changes are planned. Any future changes to terms of service will be subject to the usual consultation arrangement with staff and unions. Once this is done, the Department will put in place appropriate mechanisms to allow collective bargaining to take place.

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