| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
7 Jun 2004 : Column 181W—continued
Arson
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convictions there were in each of the last three years for arson; and how many of these convictions were of repeat offenders; [171435]
(2) what the average sentence for arson was in each of the last three years. [171434]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 10 May 2004]: 1,500 people were found guilty of arson in England and Wales in 2001 and 1,493 in 2002.
Of those found guilty of arson in 2001, 15 per cent. had a previous conviction for arson, the equivalent figure for 2002 was 10 per cent. 1
The average custodial sentence length imposed for arson in 2001 was 28.5 months and in 2002, 27.9 months.
Statistics for 2003 will be published in the Autumn.
1 Sentencing samples are based on four weeks of data, one week for each quarter of the year.
Case Review Process
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what issues the Criminal Cases Review Commission scrutinises during the case review process. [170471]
Paul Goggins: It is the Commission's usual practice to obtain the summing up in cases involving a review of conviction, where this is available, and to review the terms in which the judge has directed the jury on all matters of law, including the burden and standard of proof.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last two years documents necessary for the review of a case have been destroyed between application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and review. [170472]
Paul Goggins: The Commission does not have precise data on this question and the resources to acquire it would be disproportionate.
However, the Commission has established procedures which ensure that all necessary material is preserved at the earliest point in the case review process. This is particularly relevant for older convictions where established policies in public bodies may indicate early destruction.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether retractions in interviews regarding sex abuse case reviews are always documented in the Statement of Reasons by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. [170473]
Paul Goggins:
The Commission's guidance is that where retractions are reported, the consideration given to them should be set out in the Statement of Reasons.
7 Jun 2004 : Column 182W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Criminal Cases Review Commission ensures that all case review managers working on sex abuse cases are aware of all the relevant publications and materials available in the Commission. [170474]
Paul Goggins: The Commission operates a system of regular briefings for all staff and a recent extended briefing was devoted to this topic. Having Commission members serving as decision makers and one as an assigned Commission member in each case review ensures that relevant material is considered. The Commission maintains a library of material available to all staff and its IT system enables the interrogation of all Commission material from the desktop.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Case Review Managers working on sex abuse cases are given a checklist of issues which may assist in their review. [170475]
Paul Goggins: Following an internal review, the Commission recommended that a checklist of factors and investigatory techniques should be to assist those who review sexual abuse cases. This has been addressed and a supporting document is being developed.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Criminal Cases Review Commission will seek reports from psychologists to identify research, good practice and guidance on the application of scientific methodology to the investigation of contemporary and historical allegations of sex abuse. [170477]
Paul Goggins: The Commission has received such a report and has no plans at present to seek further reports.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions visiting speakers have addressed the Criminal Cases Review Commission on awareness of the issues and investigative techniques in sexual abuse cases over the last two years. [170478]
Paul Goggins: Visiting speakers have addressed the Commission on six occasions in the last 12 months on a variety of topics. Many of these have touched directly or indirectly on the issues surrounding sexual abuse cases.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Criminal Cases Review Commission's use of exceptional circumstances to allow referrals where a previous appeal has not been heard. [170479]
Paul Goggins: Where there has been no appeal, the Commission will consider whether exceptional circumstances apply. The Commission has referred cases where exceptional circumstances have applied, the most usual example being where one co-defendant has appealed and another has not.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision will be made regarding the extension of the Criminal Cases Review Commission's section 17 powers. [170515]
7 Jun 2004 : Column 183W
Paul Goggins: We are considering a number of proposals from the Criminal Cases Review Commission, including one which would require an extension of the Commission's powers under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. The subject matter of this proposal is the disclosure of material by third parties for the purpose of criminal cases, and as such it is related to Lord Justice Auld's recommendation (206) which urges consideration of a new statutory third party disclosure scheme. We therefore intend to deal with the two matters together. These are complex issues and I am unable at this time to indicate when we will have completed our deliberations.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work and findings of the Criminal Cases Review Commission's collaboration with the Historical Abuse Appeal Panel. [170516]
Paul Goggins: The Criminal Cases Review Commission is in regular dialogue with the Historical Abuse Appeal Panel. Such liaison and exchange of information as will assist the Commission in its work will continue.
CCTV
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public funding has been spent on CCTV security cameras in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in the last five years. [176067]
Ms Blears:
In the last five years, the Home Office has provided £381,558 to the East Riding of Yorkshire (which includes the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden) for CCTV schemes.
7 Jun 2004 : Column 184W
Allocation of that funding is a matter for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Humberside Constabulary. The information is not held centrally.
Compensation Scheme (Remand Prisoners)
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the compensation scheme for people remanded in custody and subsequently found not guilty which operates in New Zealand. [171109]
Paul Goggins: I have no plans to make an assessment of the scheme operating in New Zealand for compensating those remanded in custody and subsequently found not guilty.
The current schemes for compensating those wrongfully convicted or charged in England and Wales are provided for in Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and under the ex-gratia arrangements announced in the then Home Secretary's statement of 29 November 1985. The latter specifically provides compensation for those acquitted after having been held in custody on remand following a charge that has subsequently been found to be wrongfully brought.
Computer Misuse
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions under the Misuse of Computers Act 1990 were (a) initiated and (b) discontinued in each region in each of the last 10 years. [172426]
Paul Goggins: The requested information is contained in the table.
Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.
n/a = not available.
(44) These data are on the principal offence basis.
(45) Sections of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 are as follows:
Section 1—Unauthorised access to computer material
Section 2—Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences
Section 3—Unauthorised modification of computer material
(46) Also includes cases where no evidence was offered or charges withdrawn, and cases discharged under Section 6 MCA 1980.
7 Jun 2004 : Column 187W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |