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10 Nov 2004 : Column 742W—continued
Sex Offenders
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women are registered on the sex offenders register. [190254]
Paul Goggins: An overview of the 2003–04 Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) annual reports, available in the Library, states that on 31 March 2004 there were 24,572 registered sex offenders living in the community. It is not possible to state the gender breakdown of these statistics.
Terrorism Act
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received regarding the use of police powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000; [191319]
(2) if he will make a statement on the ethnic breakdown of individuals subject to stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000; [191537]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. [191544]
Mr. Blunkett: The Government believes that the powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 are essential in the on-going fight against terrorism. As part of a structured counter-terrorist strategy, their use helps to deter and disrupt terrorist activity.
For the period 2001–02 and 2002–03, the ethnic breakdown of individuals stopped and searched in England and Wales under sections 44 (1) and (2) of the Terrorism Act 2000 is as follows:
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Source:
Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2003 http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/s95race2003.pdf
The increasing use made of section 44 powers over the above two year period is the result of the heightened threat to the UK from international terrorism following the events of 11 September 2001, and the subsequent rise in the number and scale of police counter-terrorist operations.
It is essential that our policing and counter-terrorism powers are used with the support of all communities and that we are able to actively demonstrate that these powers are not directed at or against Muslims or Islam, or any individual community. We are therefore formulating an outreach programme to explain counter-terrorism powers more fully. This work will involve the building of significant and productive relationships through regular meetings with key opinion formers in religious and ethnic communities, and by undertaking a comprehensive programme of visits by senior officials to those communities to explain the purpose and operation of our counter-terrorism powers.
In addition, the Stop and Search Action team, formed from within the Home Office, has been established to review the use of all stop and search powers, including the use of section 44 powers. It receives advice and scrutiny from a Community Panel with representatives from various community groups and a Delivery Board evolved from the Lawrence Steering Group sub-group on stop and search.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions an individual has been held in detention for 14 days under the Terrorism Act 2000. [191538]
Mr. Blunkett: Police records show that since 20 January 2004, when the maximum period available to police to detain suspects without charge under the Terrorism Act 2000 was increased from seven to 14 days, 25 persons have been detained for periods between seven and 14 days.
The extension reflects the evolution of the methodology and equipment available to terrorists over recent years. Police are now required to undertake a number of time consuming activities relating to evidence gathering, including testing the chemical substances found on or with suspects, examining hard drives of computers, and the detailed work required to establish the identity of suspects.
The safeguards built into Schedule 8 of the Act remain in place and cover areas including recording of interviews and reviewing grounds for detention.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many confirmations he has authorised regarding the use of section 44 powers under the Terrorism Act 2000. [191545]
Mr. Blunkett: An authorisation under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has to be signed by a police officer of Association of Chief Police Officer rank and submitted to the Home Office. I, or one of my Ministers, has to confirm the authorisation within the 48 hour period specified in the Terrorism Act 2000 or the authorisation lapses.
| Authorisations | Not confirmed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 259 | 3 |
| 2002 | 220 | 0 |
| 2003 | 259 | 3 |
| 2004 | 180 | 9 |
Thailand
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Thailand regarding the prisoner transfer agreement concluded in 1992. [195715]
Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
We review prisoner transfer agreements and their efficacy on a case-by-case basis. The bilateral prisoner transfer agreement with Thailand forms part of the regular discussions that we have with the Government of Thailand about general prisoner welfare issues.
Theft and Fraud
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997. [191410]
Fiona Mactaggart: The information is as follows.
(14) Analysis between Home Office, Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies cannot be provided.
The Home Office has an Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy that is based upon increasing the awareness of staff, use of cost effective methods to inhibit fraud and corruption and establishing procedures to respond effectively to incidents of alleged fraud including the provision of confidential "hot lines". The Department's overall security arrangements provide the basis for combating theft, supported by reminders to staff about
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preventative measures available to them. Individual line managers are responsible for combating fraud, corruption and theft in their own areas.
The totals represented here account for just 0.001 per cent. of the Home Office's £15 billion annual budget.
Wildlife Crime
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to classify wildlife crime as recordable. [195342]
Ms Blears: Crimes in the notifiable offence list, and therefore in the coverage of the police recorded crime statistics, are normally limited to indictable and triable either way offences (i.e. those that can be tried in the crown court). Most wildlife crimes are summary offences, but if such instances come to the attention of the police, then they will be subject to the National Standard for Incident Recording, which is currently being piloted. Statistics are available for the number of suspects being proceeded against in the courts for wildlife offences.
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish detailed proposals to reduce the level of wildlife crime. [195351]
Ms Blears: We are currently considering the conclusions and recommendations of the Environmental Audit Committee's Report on Wildlife Crime published on 2 October 2004. Our response to the Committee is due by 6 December 2004.
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