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Departmental Publications (Citizens Advice Bureaux)

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations the Department has received from citizens advice bureaux about shortages of the Department's leaflets and forms in each year since 1997. [172603]

Mr. Sutcliffe: I am not aware that the Department has   received any representations from citizens advice bureaux specifically about shortages of the Department's leaflets and forms.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) leaflets and (b) forms supplied by the Department to citizens advice bureaux; and how many of each leaflet were printed in the last 12 months. [172604]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department's publications are listed on its website: www.dti.gov.uk/publications. The Department does not produce leaflets and forms specifically for citizens advice bureaux.
 
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I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 March 2004, Official Report, column 1679W, which provides information on those organisations that ordered the largest number of publications for the year ending February 2004.

Paid Leave (Oldham, West and Royton)

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Oldham West and Royton qualify for paid leave entitlements. [170941]

Mr. Sutcliffe: All workers resident in Oldham West and Royton qualify for paid annual leave entitlements; at least four weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. Whilst all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.

All employees in Oldham West and Royton who are eligible will be entitled to take statutory paternity leave with pay and statutory adoption leave with pay.

Workers' Rights (South Ribble)

Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of South Ribble qualify for paid leave entitlements. [172149]

Mr. Sutcliffe: All workers resident in South Ribble qualify for paid annual leave entitlements; at least four weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. Whilst all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.

All employees in South Ribble who are eligible will be entitled to take statutory paternity leave with pay and statutory adoption leave with pay.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Air Guns

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought for offences involving air guns in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [172444]

Caroline Flint: The available information is given in the table.

Statistics for 2003 will be published in the autumn.
Persons⁽²⁾ proceeded against for offences relating to air weapons, England and Wales 1998 to 2002

Offence description	Statute	1998	1999	2000 2	2001	2002
Possession of air weapon with intent to endanger life	Firearms Act, 1968 Section 16	35	29	27	35	32
Using air weapons or imitation air weapon to resist    arrest	Firearms Act, 1968 Section 17(1)	1	4	1	—	—
Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon at time    of committing or being arrested for an offence    specified in schedule 1 of the act	Firearms Act, 1968 Section 17(2)	34	35	47	11	32
Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon with    intent to commit an indictable offence or resist arrest	Firearms Act. 1968 Section 18(1)	16	14	21	12	11
Possession of an air weapon or imitation air weapon    with intent to cause fear of violence	Firearms Act, 1968 Section 16A (as amended by    Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994	136	141	154	120	127
Possession of air weapon by persons previously    convicted of crime	Firearms Act 1968 Section 21(4) as amended by    the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act    1994,    Section 157 Sch. 8 part III	73	73	51	54	57
Supplying air weapon to person denied them under    Section 21	Ibid Section 21 (5) as amended by the Criminal    Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157    Sch. 8 part III	—	1	—	—	—
Carrying loaded air weapon in public place etc.	Ibid Section 19	246	237	213	241	186
Trespassing with air weapon in a building	Ibid Section 20(1)	1	2	6	1	2
Trespassing with air weapon on land	Ibid Section 20(2)	76	35	30	35	32
Person under 17 acquiring air weapon	Ibid Section 22(1)	6	3	3	2	—
Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or    ammunition therefore	Ibid Section 22(4)	9	13	21	12	7
Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a    public place	Ibid Section 22(5)	60	68	66	66	51
Person under 14 making improper use of air weapon    when under supervision	Ibid Section 23(1)	2	—	1	1	1
Person supervising person under 14, permitting    improper use of air weapon	Ibid Section 23(1)	—	—	2	—	—
Selling or letting on hire an air weapon to person    under 17	Ibid Section 24(1)	—	—	—	—	—
Supplying air weapon to person under 14	Ibid Section 24(4)	1	2	4	2	2
Supplying air weapon to person drunk or insane	Ibid Section 25	—	—	—	—	—
Failure to hand over air weapon or ammunition on    demand by constable	Ibid Section 47(2)	—	—	—	—	—
Total		696	657	647	592	540

⁽²⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.
⁽³⁾ Excludes figures for Staffordshire.



 
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Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on preventing (a) crimes and (b) accidents involving air guns. [172447]

Caroline Flint: The Government are determined to tackle all aspects of gun crime and the underlying culture that supports it, working with the police and other statutory agencies, the voluntary sector and local communities, to tackle gun crime on a variety of fronts.

We have recently introduced measures in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 raising the age limit to 17 for owning air weapons and making it an offence to have an air weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. This means that the police can now challenge anybody seen in a public place with an air weapon and arrest them if they are unable to give a satisfactory explanation.

The Home Office produces a leaflet on the safe use of air weapons and arrangements have been made for a copy to be included with all new purchases.

Animal Research

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the   Home Department what plans he has to visit Huntingdon Life Sciences in Huntingdon. [170856]

Mr. Blunkett: I have no plans at present to visit Huntingdon Life Sciences. However, since becoming Home Secretary, I and other Home Office Ministers have held many discussions aimed at ensuring businesses and individuals involved in important scientific research and testing where animal experimentation is necessary can safely carry on their work without impediment from those who try to intimidate or obstruct them. Most recently, my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint) met with you on 29 March 2004 to discuss the adverse effect the activities of animal rights extremist is having on members of staff at   Huntingdon Life Sciences and the surrounding community.
 
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Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has   taken to curb illegal activities of animal rights activists. [172060]

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 1692W.

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