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Safer and Stronger Communities Fund

Mr. Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will outline his plans for a safer and stronger communities fund referred to in paragraph 5.32 of the 2004 Spending Review; whether it will cover Leeds, West; where it will be piloted; and if he will make a statement. [186782]

Phil Hope: The Safer and Stronger Communities Fund announced in the Spending Review 2004 will be put in place across England from April 2005. The fund will address the issues of high crime levels, anti-social behaviour and disorder and the frequent poor quality of public spaces, particularly in deprived areas.

Guidance on how the fund will operate in practice will be issued later in the year. The administration of the fund will enhance local flexibility and help to reduce bureaucracy through the development of agreements based on the principles for the wider Local Area Agreements, which the Government will also be piloting next year.

Supporting People Programme

Mr. Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has had from (a) local authorities, (b) caring organisations and (c) people with learning disabilities regarding the review of the Supporting People programme; and if he will make a statement. [186727]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister receives representations about the Supporting People programme from a wide variety of stakeholders, including local authorities, MPs, provider organisations and people who receive housing related support, including those with learning disabilities. These representations cover a broad range of issues around the Supporting People programme, from invites to conferences to questions about the current and future workings of the programme following the Independent Review of the programme.

The Independent Review was commissioned by the Government to look at value for money and the variation in dwelling costs and services across local authorities. The Review found wide variations in dwelling costs between authorities and that £1.8 billion is too much to pay for the legacy services. Following this report, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister undertook a comprehensive programme of work on Supporting People programme to inform the Spending Review 2004. On this basis it was recently announced that the settlement for Supporting People is £1.72 billion in 2005–06 and around £1.7 billion in each of the following two years. This is the first time that there has been a three-year settlement in the Supporting People programme. It will create stability for the programme and offer Administering Authorities and providers the opportunity to plan strategically and deliver good quality, value for money services over the next three years and beyond.
 
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SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Afghan Hijackers

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Solicitor-General what estimate he has made of the legal costs of the case concerning Afghan hijackers at Stansted airport since 2000. [185616]

The Solicitor-General: There have been both criminal proceedings and asylum proceedings arising from the hijack at Stansted airport. In relation to the two criminal trials relating to this matter the costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of Counsel's fees was £428,811.85. This does not include certain costs incurred, such as interpreters fees, as well as fixed costs of the C PS, such as staff. The cost to the Criminal Defence Service of these trials as at 21 July 2004 was £4.32 million.

In relation to the asylum applications following the Stansted hijack, litigation services in relation to such claims are provided to the Home Secretary by the Treasury Solicitors Department. Their costs in relation to claims arising from the hijack are £106,109.41 as at 31 August 2004.

The Legal Services Commission is unable to give a figure for the legal aid costs relating to these asylum claims. This is for two reasons. First, some of the legal aid paid in respect of these claims was covered by the controlled work contract where funding decisions are delegated to suppliers. Under those arrangements the Legal Services Commission does not maintain details about the legal aid funding of specific cases. Secondly, in respect of the legal aid funding not covered by the controlled work contracts, while in principle the Legal Services Commission will be in a position to state the legal aid costs, they are not in a position to provide final figures at this stage as they are still waiting for the individual solicitors to submit bills to them. Services Commission will be in a position to state the legal aid costs, they are not in a position to provide final figures at this stage as they are still waiting for the individual solicitors to submit bills to them.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Buildings

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total floor space area of buildings owned or leased by his Department was in each year from 1997 to date. [186614]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Office does not own any buildings. The total floor space area of buildings leased from 1 July 1999 to January 2004 was 3,653m ² .

In January 2004, the Scotland Office gave up accommodation in Glasgow which reduced the total floor space area to 2,850m ² .

Sustainable Development

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what parts of his Department's estate will not be covered by the commitments set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [186585]

 
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Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office, in common with every part of the Government, is covered by all the commitments set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken by his Department since publication of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate to review arrangements for public reporting of sustainable development impacts. [186586]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office is working to ensure that its sustainable development impacts will be reported to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which is committed to the public reporting of such impacts across its estate.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements his Department has to report publicly on its key sustainable development impacts. [186588]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office will report its sustainable development impacts to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which is committed to the public reporting of such impacts across its estate.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been identified as the most significant sustainable development impacts in relation to the operation of his Department's estate. [186589]

Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Constitutional Affairs is currently reviewing sustainable development impacts across the whole of its estate, including the buildings occupied by the Scotland Office.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Autistic People

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions are in place to increase awareness in the criminal justice system of the behaviour patterns of people who have communication-related disabilities, including autism and Asperger's Syndrome, in relation to policy on bringing charges for communication-related offences, with particular reference to (a) section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 and (b) the offence of being drunk and disorderly. [186921]

Ms Blears: As regards the police, national training highlights the importance of communicating effectively and sensitively with people suffering from a mental disability (including autism).

The aim is to ensure that officers develop awareness and an understanding of mental disorders and the importance of not making assumptions based on a person's behaviour.

In West Mercia, I understand that training has been provided to key staff on Autism and Asperger's Syndrome Disorders (ASD), by Autism West Midlands. This covers strategies for working effectively with people suffering from ASD, paying particular attention to the implications for policing.
 
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The Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) provide guidance for custody officers on dealings with mentally vulnerable detainees and, other than in exceptional circumstances, an appropriate adult (someone experienced in dealing with mentally disordered or mentally vulnerable people) must be called whenever there is any doubt about a detainee's mental capacity

If there is any concern that a person may be suffering from an underlying physical or mental illness, the police should act urgently in calling an appropriate health care professional for advice.

As for decisions whether or not to bring charges, I understand that the Code for Crown Prosecutors specifically lists the desirability of diverting a defendant who is suffering from significant mental or physical ill health among the relevant considerations. However, this has to be balanced against the need to safeguard the general public. Each case has to be reviewed on its own facts by the Prosecutor applying the general principles laid down in the Code.

In relation to offences under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, Home Office Circular 17/2004 provides guidance to Chief Officers to inform local protocols between the police and health services on dealings with people who may have mental health problems, including learning disabilities.

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