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17 May 2004 : Column 780W—continued

North London Mosque

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the   Home Department what support the Charity Commissioners propose to offer to the trustees of the
 
17 May 2004 : Column 781W
 
North London Mosque to ensure that it operates within the law on its re-opening; and if he will make a statement. [169793]

Fiona Mactaggart: This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Director of Operations of the Charity Commission will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Offender Management

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the post of (a) Head of Human Relations and (b) Head of Standards in the National Offender Management Service will be advertised. [168461]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office uses external recruitment when there is a shortage of the necessary skills and knowledge to fill the vacancy. These posts will not be advertised. They are being filled by existing Home Office staff on level transfer and on their existing salaries.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he will ensure that the National Offender Management Service reduces the prison population. [167516]

Paul Goggins: The National Offender Management Service will ensure the more effective management of offenders as well as better targeting and co-ordination of custodial and community sentences. As a result we intend to maintain the prison population at a stable level of around 80,000 by 2009. Without these reforms, the latest estimates indicate that the prison population may otherwise increase to 93,000 by that date.
 
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Open Prisons

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the occupancy rate was for open prisons in each of the last 10 years. [169085]

Paul Goggins: The average population, average certified normal accommodation and occupancy rate of open prisons in each of the last 10 years is given in the table.
Average population of open prisons and average C.N.A. England and Wales, 30 June

Average populationAverage C.A.N.Occupancy rate (percentage)
19944,2054,82987.1
19953,9484,66684.6
19964,4084,88490.3
19974,7655,11293.2
19984,6505,08291.5
19994,1555,08981.6
20003,9694,81382.5
20013,9104,59285.1
20024,4314,85291.3
20034,8125,30290.8

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prisoners serving (a) under 12 months, (b) 12 months to under four years and (c) four years or over completed part or all of their sentence in an open prison in each of the last 10 years. [169090]

Paul Goggins: Information on the number of prisoners serving (a) under 12 months, (b) 12 months to under four years and (c) four years or over who completed part or all of their sentence in an open prison is not available.

The number of prisoners serving sentences in the relevant bands in an open prison on 30 June in each of the last 10 years is given in the table.
Population under sentence of open prisons—England and Wales

As at 30 JuneLess than
12 months
Percentage12 months to less than
or equal to four years
Percentage4 years and overPercentage
19942,01748.41,26130.388721.3
19951,48936.21,69741392222.4
19961,24428.32,15048.91,00022.8
19971,27926.92,38850.21,08622.8
19981,12524.22,26348.71,25627.0
199973277.71,88445.41,53036.9
200063516.01,75544.31,56939.6
200158615.01,73044.41,58340.6
200262515.01,72841.41,82343.7
200362413.01,79037.32,38249.7

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Woking on 10 March 2004, refs (a) 161619 and (b) 161620. [164270]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 29 March 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 28 April 2004, Official Report, columns 1097W and 1102W respectively.

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will provide an answer to the questions reference (a) 161078 and (b) 161079 on steps to control websites encouraging or promoting suicide. [169012]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 27 April 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 765W.
 
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Parole

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners who had been sentenced to more than 10 years have been recalled during each of the last 48 months; and what the reasons for recall were. [168023]

Paul Goggins: The number of prisoners who had been sentenced to determinate sentences of 10 years or more who have been recalled is given in the table.
Prisoners with sentences of 10 years or more recalled by month of recall and reason for recall

AllNot knownFurther offencesBeing out of touchHostel—
failure to reside
Other
2000
April600303
May804112
June301101
July502012
August602202
September603210
October905013
November401012
December200200
2001
January614010
February802222
March502012
April501112
May400301
June202000
July602301
August501013
September511102
October501103
November504001
December400103
2002
January501013
February603102
March602121
April801106
May402200
June701204
July812212
August806110
September403001
October502003
November713012
December605001
2003
January1017200
February521011
March1305323
April702221
May722021
June701303
July1113502
August602103
September1225212
October713003
November702203
December1107310
2004
January1404442
February1316303
March1407502

Passport Service

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place
 
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to ensure the trustworthiness of staff operating database systems, with particular reference to the UK Passport Service. [170527]

Mr. Browne: There are a number of mechanisms available to minimise the risk to databases operated by Government Departments and Agencies from staff who might not be trustworthy.

In the case of the UK Passport Service (UKPS), all prospective staff are subject to a number of pre-employment checks to confirm identity and entitlement to take employment. UKPS staff are also subject to security clearance checks in accordance with the Prime Minister's statement on security vetting of 15 December 1994. These checks provide UKPS with an appropriate degree of assurance as to the integrity and trustworthiness of staff. The same arrangements apply to the employees of UKPS' private sector partners.

In addition to pre-employment checks and security clearance for staff, all UKPS systems undergo formal risk assessment and are accredited in line with Government standards and Information Security Standard BS7799. This ensures that UKPS has in place management and technical systems to provide comprehensive auditing and accounting facilities to monitor all access to, and activity on, its databases.


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