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7 Sept 2004 : Column 960W—continued

Police (Northampton)

Mr. Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage change there has been in the number of police officers in Northampton in each year since 1997. [186417]

Ms Blears: Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002. BCU strength for 31 March 2004 will be published shortly.

The Northampton Area Basic Command Unit (BCU) includes Collingtree, Great Houghton, Hardingstone, Northampton and Wootton. Between March 2002 and March 2003 police strength for the Northampton BCU decreased by 0.3 per cent. (from 346 to 345). The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the chief constable (Peter Maddison) and within the Northampton BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the divisional commander.

Police Officers (Restricted Duties)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours were worked per week, on average, by police officers working on restricted or recuperative duties in (a) England and (b) Essex in the last year for which figures are available. [186475]

Ms Blears: The Home Office does not publish data on restricted or recuperative duties for police officers in England and Wales.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are (a) working on restricted recuperative duties, (b) unable to work night duty and (c) absent through sickness in (i) England and (ii) Essex. [186444]

Ms Blears: For the period 2002–03 a total of 1,364,067 officer days were lost to sickness absence—an average of 10.4 days per officer per year. For the same period, Essex constabulary lost 31,785 officer days to sickness absence—an average of 10.3 days per officer per year. This represents a fall in sickness absence from 1996–97 where the national rate was 12.8 days per officer per year—a reduction of over 18 per cent.

These figures were published in the annual Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary report for 2002–03.

The Home Office does not publish data on the number of police officers working on restricted or recuperative duties or who are unable to work on night duty.

Policies (Environmental Impacts)

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new policy proposals
 
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or significant changes in policy were produced in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; how many of these were screened for their environmental impacts; and how many were the subject of separate environmental appraisals. [185099]

Fiona Mactaggart: Central records are not kept of the number of policies for which environmental screenings are undertaken. However, advice on the need to screen policies for environmental impacts is contained on the Department's policy makers checklist and the ministerial website on the Department's intranet site states that policy submissions should contain a section on environmental considerations.

No formal environmental appraisals have been conducted on policy issues, although policy proposals which are likely to have a direct or indirect impact on business, charities and the voluntary sector are required to have a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). RIAs require examination of the potential impacts of relevant policy developments on all stakeholders including environmental impacts.

Assessments of environmental impacts are undertaken on building developments as required by planning authorities.

Prison

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget is for each prison library in 2004–05; and how many local authority-employed librarians work in prison establishments on a (a) full-time and (b) part-time basis. [187237]

Mr. Browne: The following table shows allocations to each prison establishment to purchase library services. The figures include maintenance of the book stock, exchange of stock within a year and off-site administration of the service.

Information on the number of local authority-employed librarians working in prison establishments is not held centrally. A survey conducted in February 2004 found that Public Library Authority (PLA) library managers delivered 2,608 on-site hours per week while PLA library assistants delivered 2,230 per week. This equates to 134 full-time equivalent library staff across the prison estate.

The Prison Service is currently working in partnership with the Public Library Authorities to develop a new and wider ranging specification for prison libraries that addresses the learning and skills agenda as well as providing information, advice and guidance. A new framework for resourcing the new service is also being developed.
Library budgets 2004–05

Establishment£
Acklington39,088
Albany31,842
Ashwell17,906
Askham Grange7,302
Aylesbury15,875
Bedford22,013
Belmarsh62,491
Birmingham72,523
Blakenhurst36,716
Blantyre House12,364
Blundeston20,563
Brinsford19,730
Brinsford YJB16,885
Bristol21,117
Brixton58,634
Brockhill15,176
Buckley Hall18,618
Bullingdon42,588
Bullwood Hall5,430
Bullwood Hall YJB361
Camphill38,845
Canterbury19,123
Cardiff16,089
Castington17,648
Castington YJB12,532
Channings Wood28,399
Chelmsford19,815
Coldingley11,850
Cookham Wood8,427
Dartmoor24,469
Deerbolt15,887
Dorchester17,768
Dover12,758
Downview25,126
Drake Hall13,385
Durham22,940
East Sutton Park6,217
Eastwood Park19,951
Eastwood Park YJB529
Edmunds Hill813
Elmley49,666
Erlestoke14,054
Everthorpe32,959
Exeter10,585
Featherstone15,797
Feltham30,869
Feltham YJB8,548
Ford33,591
Foston Hall23,830
Frankland24,602
Full Sutton28,606
Garth37,723
Gartree15,435
Glen Parva20,273
Gloucester20,062
Grendon/Spring Hill16,020
Guys Marsh17,549
Haslar19,597
Haverigg28,022
Hewell Grange11,743
High Down27,457
Highpoint29,345
Hindley11,233
Hindley10,292
Hollesley Bay5,078
Holloway56,463
Holme House55,948
Hull60,309
Huntercombe16,506
Kingston14,072
Kirkham25,645
Kirklevington9,102
Lancaster Castle5,803
Lancaster Farms32,355
Lancaster Farms8,499
Latchmere House2,240
Leeds36,278
Leicester17,409
Lewes30,049
Leyhill15,602
Lincoln20,726
Lindholme24,872
Littlehey22,854
Liverpool30,591
Long Lartin21,305
Low Newton18,454
Maidstone19,209
Manchester158,515
Moorland43,833
Morton Hall36,364
New Hall158,442
New Hall YJB3,259
North Sea Camp11,978
Northallerton34,756
Norwich40,987
Nottingham34,053
Onley51,758
Parkhurst32,056
Pentonville37,094
Portland16,637
Preston17,985
Ranby47,480
Reading21,975
Risley15,140
Rochester27,904
Send14,283
Shepton Mallet5,615
Shrewsbury12,474
Stafford14,367
Standford Hill20,700
Stocken22,741
Stoke Heath10,306
Stoke Heath9,274
Styal11,305
Sudbury25,933
Swaleside35,296
Swansea17,474
Swinfen Hall33,953
The Mount38,786
The Verne14,944
Thorn Cross8,387
Thorn Cross YJB3,009
Usk/Prescoed16,745
Wakefield23,789
Wandsworth124,646
Warren Hill YJB22,254
Wayland25,885
Wealstun35,478
Weare17,597
Wellingborough28,321
Werrington YJB9,498
Wetherby YJB32,241
Whatton21,085
Whitemoor25,972
Winchester29,418
Woodhill36,932
Wormwood Scrubs43,773
Wymott34,154

 
7 Sept 2004 : Column 963W
 

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the 10-year custodial population projections referred to in paragraphs D18 and D19 of the Home Office Online Report 38/04. [187235]

Paul Goggins: Long-term prison population projections are produced for a seven year period. The latest published projections cover the period up to 2009.
 
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These were first presented in the April 2003 prison population monthly brief, published in September 2003, which can be found on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prisons1 .html

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what review of the policy towards (a) prison workplace and (b) prisoner smoking is planned; and if he will make a statement. [185643]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 22 July 2004]: No departmental review of smoking in prison workplaces (where this is permitted) and prisoner smoking is planned. Governors are still operating under Instruction to Governors 16 of 1996, which instructs them where to ban smoking in prisons and gives them discretionary powers to extend this ban to other parts of the prison. Smoking policies are included in the Health and Safety Standard and are audited by the Prison Service Standards Audit Unit.

In 2003 the Department of Health and the Prison service published 'AQUITTED: Best practice guidance for developing smoking cessation services in prisons'. Extra funding of £500,000 has been made available for each of the three years up to 2006. The launch of 'AQUITTED' was supported by a programme of training seminars for staff of prisons and their local Primary Care Trusts. The effectiveness of the initiative is being evaluated and a report is expected in 2005.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost was of the new healthcare centre at HMP Holloway in the Department's budget on 1 January; what the latest estimate is of expenditure on the new centre; and how many (a) inpatient beds and (b) day centre places (i) were planned on 1 January and (ii) are planned for the new centre. [186109]

Paul Goggins: On 1 January 2003, the estimated capital cost of the new healthcare centre at Holloway prison was £5.85 million with 23 in-patient beds and 30 day centre places planned. The latest estimates for costs, in patient beds, and day centre places remain the same.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prisoners, (b) women in prison, (c) juveniles and (d) young offenders are held (i) over 50 miles and (ii) over 100 miles from their committal court town. [187060]

Paul Goggins: An individual prisoner's court details are recorded to show first court appearance, committal, remand, conviction or sentencing. Information specifically on committal court details could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. As at 7 July 2004, the latest date for which information is available, details were available for 70,213 prisoners, or 93 per cent. of the total prison population of 74,771, on that day. This information is shown in the following table.
 
7 Sept 2004 : Column 965W
 

DistanceTotal populationFemale populationJuvenile populationYoung offender population
Under 50 miles
Total number of prisoners45,6322,1511,6395,184
Percentage65526365
50–100 miles
Total number of prisoners14,9901,0398141,828
Percentage21253123
100+ miles
Total number of prisoners9,591930167944
Percentage1423612
Total70,2134,1202,6207,956


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