---

17 May 2004 : Column 787W—continued

Road Traffic Offences

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people lost their driving licence as a consequence of speeding in each year since 1990. [169445]

Caroline Flint: Available information from 1990 to 2002, which has been taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, is given in the table.
Number of persons disqualified 1 from driving at all courts for speed limit offences⁽³³⁾, England and Wales, 1990 to 2002

	Persons disqualified
1990	14,690
1991	14,858
1992	13,053
1993	9,658
1994	8,899
1995	9,223
1996	9,587
1997	10,061
1998	12,215
1999	12,050
2000	11,283
2001	11,510
2002	9,557

⁽³²⁾ Excludes persons disqualified under s 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (penalty points system).
⁽³³⁾ Offences under the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 and The Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973.

Seasonal Agriculture Workers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the suspension of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme in respect of students from Romania and Bulgaria; and when he expects to review the suspension. [170107]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 30 April 2004]: On 30 March 2004, we announced a suspension on the processing of visa applications in Bulgaria and Romania while allegations of abuse of the immigration arrangements were investigated. On 13 April, the
 
17 May 2004 : Column 788W
 
suspensions were partially lifted, except for applications under the managed migration entry routes, including the Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme (SAWS).

The investigation into the allegations is being conducted as quickly as possible.

Sustainable Development

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [172305]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Department's Sustainable Development Framework Project has been commissioned to develop, implement and manage a series of individual activities across the Home Office Group including the Prison Service. This project has been established to ensure the Department meets the environmental targets set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. A review of existing initiatives and policies has been undertaken and a gap analysis produced to enable the development of individual work streams to address sustainable development targets. Progress against these individual work streams is being made and is monitored and reviewed regularly.

We have also made significant progress towards sustainable development targets on reducing crime and the fear of crime, and increasing voluntary and community activity. The British Crime Survey (BCS) data shows that vehicle thefts fell by 38 per cent. and burglary by 29 per cent. between 1991 and 2002–03. Recorded crime fell by 23 per cent. and burglary in dwellings by 17 per cent. between 1990 and 2002–03 and that the fear of crime is now lower than the levels in the 2001 British Crime Survey. The number of people engaged in community participation has increased by more than 6 per cent. to 1.6 million since 2001.

Sutton Inquiry

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ensure that the inquiry and visit to Sofia by Mr. Ken Sutton of his Department into the Managed Migration scheme and related issues will take account of the impact that suspension of the issuing of visas will have on teachers appointed to schools in Essex and Thurrock; and if he will make a statement; [170027]

(2) when he expects to receive the report by Mr. Ken Sutton into the Managed Migration scheme as it operates in Sofia; when teachers appointed to posts in Essex and Thurrock schools can expect consideration of their visa applications; and if he will make a statement. [170028]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 30 April 2004]: We hope to receive Ken Sutton's report shortly. The length of the temporary suspension of the arrangements for those, in Sofia, seeking visas for managed migration schemes will be as short as possible. The impact on those wishing to seek entry to the UK legitimately under managed migration routes is a matter of regret. However, we consider that this temporary suspension was the right action in the circumstances and crucial to public confidence in the integrity of our immigration system.
 
17 May 2004 : Column 789W
 

Workplace Crime

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring the victims of workplace crimes and their families into the remit of the Victims' Charter. [167497]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 28 April 2004]: A review of the Victim's Charter was completed in 2003. The Charter will be replaced by a statutory Code of Practice for victims, which is enabled by, and one of the key measures in, the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill currently before Parliament. The Code will place obligations on criminal justice agencies to provide specific services, within prescribed time scales, to victims of crime, irrespective of where the crime takes place.

As part of the review, my officials had discussions with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE is further developing the existing arrangements for liaison with victims, and bereaved families, of work-related incidents so as to mirror, as far as resources and remit allow, the kinds of services the Code will deliver. However, as the Code's primary purpose is to set out the obligations of criminal justice agencies to victims of crime, the HSE, along with other organisations which have interactions with victims in a broader sense, was considered outside of its scope. My officials will remain in close touch with their counterparts in the HSE to ensure that best practice continues to be shared.

HEALTH

Air Gun Injuries

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for injuries involving air guns in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [172443]

Miss Melanie Johnson: There are no central data on the total number of patients treated each year in the national health service for injuries involving air guns.

Alzheimer's

Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the research projects into Alzheimer's disease and related conditions funded by the Government, with the amounts of money provided in each case. [169890]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Details of research projects relating to Alzheimer's disease and related conditions, funded by, or of interest to, the national health service are recorded on the National Research Register (NRR) at www.update-software.com/national. The NRR currently contains details of over 200 on-going projects in this area, as well as a larger number of completed projects. These include projects commissioned by the Department.

In 2002–03, the Medical Research Council (MRC) spent £6.6 million on research relevant to Alzheimer's and related conditions, such as general dementia, AIDS-related dementia, Pick's disease and Huntington's. Details of the research may be found on the MRC website at www.mrc.ac.uk.
 
17 May 2004 : Column 790W
 

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) also funds research relating to Alzheimer's and related conditions. Details of projects can be found on the EPSRC website at www.epsrc.ac.uk.

Ambulances

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to the ambulance service regarding the introduction of the Localizer or White Noise siren systems. [172645]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Health and the Department for Transport have not issued guidance to the ambulance service regarding the introduction of White Noise siren systems.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whose responsibility it is to take decisions on the specifications of ambulance sirens; and whether there is a published list of contact details of the persons responsible. [172646]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The decision of which ambulance siren to use is normally made by the fleet manager or transport manager at each national health service trust, in conjunction with the operations director.

There is no published list of all the personnel responsible for making this decision.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health at what level the decision on the specifications of ambulance sirens was taken. [172647]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Decisions on the specifications of ambulance sirens are made by the local ambulance trusts.

---