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15 Jun 2004 : Column 861W—continued
Criminal Records Bureau
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of how long the Criminal Records Bureau is taking to process applications from voluntary organisations. [174668]
Ms Blears: Information is not available to determine how long the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is taking to process applications from voluntary organisations; this information is not held centrally.
The CRB continually assesses its performance against its service standards across all sectors and aims to make further improvements to the service it provides. Since June 2003, the CRB has been issuing on average 93 per cent. of all Standard and Enhanced Disclosures within two and four weeks respectively, against published service standards of 90 per cent.
Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug treatment and testing orders have been issued in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland in each year for which figures are available. [174850]
Paul Goggins: The number of drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs) made since roll-out of the order across England and Wales in October 2000 is:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 (six months) | 1,256 |
| 2001–02 | 4,854 |
| 2002–03 | 6,145 |
| 2003–04 | 8,515 |
The number of DTTOs imposed by Scottish courts since 2000 is:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 59 |
| 2001 | 198 |
| 2002 | 342 |
| 2003 | 348 |
| 2004 (to 21 May 2004) | 171 |
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Dungavel Family Unit
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Church and Nation Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland about the family unit at Dungavel. [176553]
Mr. Browne [holding answer 7 June 2004]: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Stretford and Urmston, (Beverley Hughes) met representatives of the Church and Nation Committee of the Church of Scotland at the end of October 2003. Discussions included the family unit at Dungavel.
Durham Jail
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total capacity in Durham jail in each of the next 10 years. [176669]
Paul Goggins: The operational capacity at Her Majesty's Prison Durham, as at Friday 28 May, is 638 for male prisoners and 110 for female prisoners.
Following the change of function, the Area Manager will set the operational capacity of Her Majesty's Prison Durham taking into account control, security the proper operation of the planned regime and the alterations that are currently being made to parts of the residential accommodation.
It is not possible to give figures for each of the next 10 years.
Gas Cartridge Weapons
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many self-contained gas cartridge weapons were surrendered to the police on or before 30 April; [175483]
15 Jun 2004 : Column 863W
(2) how many firearm certificates were issued to owners of self-contained gas cartridge weapons on or before 30 April; [175484]
(3) how many self-contained gas cartridge weapons he estimates there are in the UK. [175485]
Caroline Flint: I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that as at 30 April a total of 1,524 guns had been surrendered and a further 5,791 entered on a firearms certificate.
Graves
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow the re-use and relocating of graves; and if he will make a statement. [168050]
Paul Goggins: The current public consultation exercise "Burial law and policy in the 21st Century: the need for a sensitive and sustainable approach" seeks views on the existing arrangements for providing cemeteries and the possibility of re-using old ones. The results of this exercise, which is part of the on-going review of burial law and ends on 13 July 2004, will help to inform the Government's decision on whether to allow the re-use of graves in future. The relocation of graves is already permissible with the proper authority.
Immigration Appeals
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of legal costs for the future expected hearings relating to (a) detention under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and (b) deprivation of nationality under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, in respect of Treasury Solicitor and Counsel fees; and if he will make a statement. [174145]
Mr. Browne: Legal costs will depend on how many people are detained/deprived in the future, and to what level they appeal. As none of the current cases so far has reached its conclusion and we do not know about future numbers, it is not possible to make any realistic estimate of future expenditure.
Iraq
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers Her Majesty's Inspector has to report on prison facilities in Iraq. [176311]
Paul Goggins: Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons has no powers to report on prison facilities in Iraq.
National Criminal Intelligence Service
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) permanent and (b) seconded staff were employed at the National Criminal Intelligence Service in each of the last five years. [173134]
Caroline Flint:
Records for the numbers of staff employed by the National Criminal Intelligence Service show the following:
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| Directly employed staff | Seconded staff | Attached staff | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999(31) | 310 | 233 | 52 | 595 |
| 2000(31) | 316 | 227 | 49 | 592 |
| 2001(31) | 419 | 257 | 50 | 726 |
| 2002(31) | 470 | 293 | 37 | 800 |
| 2003(32) | 745 | 254 | 45 | 1,044 |
(31) Based on April data.
(32) Based on November data.
National Minorities Convention
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) representations his Department has received and (b) meetings his Department has had with representatives of (i) national minorities, (ii) ethnic groups and (iii) others in respect of his Department's assessment of the Government's compliance with the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. [175399]
Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 24 May 2004]: The information is as follows:
(a) The Government have received written representations on the Government's 2nd compliance report under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities from the following organisations and members of Parliament:
UK Race and European Network (UKREN);
National Travellers Action Group;
Cornish National Minority Steering Group;
Cornwall 2000;
Minority Rights Group;
Jean Corston MP (as Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights); and
Lord Lester
(b) Home Office officials have had one meeting with non-governmental organisations in connection with the 2nd compliance report. That meeting took place on 20 April 2004 with representative of the Cornish National Minority Steering Group, Cornwall 2000 and the Federal Union of European Nationalities.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his Department's contribution to the Government's compliance report to the Council of Europe under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. [175401]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office is co-ordinating the Government's second compliance report under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and we hope to complete a first draft later in the summer. We will circulate the draft widely to non-governmental organisations for comment and aim to submit the final version to the Council of Europe in the autumn.
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