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18 Nov 2004 : Column 2093W—continued

Retail Sector

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average cost per incident of theft was to the retail industry in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and if he will make a statement; [196039]

(2) what the average loss per completed burglary was to the retail sector in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and if he will make a statement; [196040]

(3) what the level of incidence of completed robbery in the retail sector was in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; what the average loss per completed robbery to the retail sector was in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003; and if he will make a statement; [196041]

(4) what the level of incidence of violence against staff in the retail sector was in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and if he will make a statement. [196042]

Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Richard Watson

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action has been taken by Sussex police consequent on their meeting with Linda Henderson and Amanda Williams-Gater on Friday 24 January 2003; and if he will make a statement; [190587]

(2) if he will make a statement on the progress of the re-investigation into the murder of Mr. Richard Watson; and by whom it is being conducted; [190589]
 
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(3) on what grounds the chief constable of Sussex rejected the complaint of Mrs. Linda Henderson and declined to record it under section 69 (1) of the Police Act 1996; and if he will review this decision under his powers as Home Secretary; [190601]

(4) what apology was given by Sussex police to Linda Henderson and Amanda Williams-Gater; to whom in the press it was made available; and when; [190602]

(5) whether the full report of the Metropolitan police investigation into the Sussex police investigation of the murder of Mr. Richard Watson has been published; and if he will place a copy in the Library; [190603]

(6) whether disciplinary action against the senior investigating officer responsible for the investigation into the murder of Mr. Richard Watson was considered by Sussex police following the investigation by the Metropolitan police into Sussex police's handling of the case; and if he will make a statement; [190606]

(7) when detective chief inspector S. Dennis of Sussex police formally referred to the Crown Prosecution Service papers relating to the murder of Mr. Richard Watson; [190608]

(8) on what date the senior investigating police officer overseeing the inquiry into the murder of Mr. Richard Watson retired from Sussex police; and if he will make a statement; [190620]

(9) on what date Sussex police received the report of the investigation by the Metropolitan police into the conduct of the investigation by the Sussex police into the murder of Mr. Richard Watson; and if he will make a statement. [190621]

Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Secure Training Centres

Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2004, Official Report, column 1134W, on secure training centres, how many of the hospital admissions were as a result of non-accidental injuries. [199348]

Paul Goggins: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Select Committee Recommendations

Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations by parliamentary select committees have been adopted by his Department since June 2001. [197773]

Mr. Blunkett: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Serious and Organised Crime Agency

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to finalise the functions of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency; and what the functions will be. [190714]

 
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Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Sex Abuse

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the Association of Chief Police Officers' guidelines on safeguards for those subject to accusations of sex abuse before they are charged. [191522]

Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether policing trends have been identified as problematic by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in their review of historical sex abuse cases. [195496]

Paul Goggins: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been conducted on the public's perception of the level of sex abuse against children. [197447]

Paul Goggins: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the findings of the pilots on suspect interviews. [197448]

Ms Blears: The pilot study on the introduction of visual recording of police interviews with suspects was carried out in five police force areas between May 2002 and September 2003.

Evaluation of the scheme was carried out by independent researchers aimed at identifying the implications of the recording technology and the benefits to the criminal justice system.

The evaluation followed the progress of over 6,000 interviews subject to visual recording of interviews with suspects and compared results with progress on 2,000 audio-only recorded interviews. The research found no discernible difference in terms of criminal justice outcomes.

The report is being assessed by independent external reviewers, potentially with a view to publication on the RDS website in spring 2005.

Sex Offenders/Offences

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders are absent without authorisation from prisons in England and Wales. [199001]

Paul Goggins: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
 
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David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted of sex offences escaped from open prisons in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [199002]

Paul Goggins: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer to Question 182382, on sexual offences, if he will make a statement on the differences between the number of recorded offences and the number of successful prosecutions; and what his policy is on the prosecution of such offences. [187718]

Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people reported being the victim of a sex offence in each of the past five years. [196642]

Ms Blears: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been conducted on the effects sex offences have on victims; and what the findings were. [196647]

Paul Goggins: The 2001 British Crime Survey (BCS) included a self- completion module which looked at both the extent and nature of sexual victimisation.

Full results from the module are published in Home Office Research Study 276 'Domestic violence, sexual victimisation and stalking: findings from the British Crime Survey'.

Additionally, Chapter 6 of Home Office Research Study 237 'Rape and sexual assault of women: the extent and nature of the problem—findings from the British Crime Survey' provides further information from the 1998 and 2000 BCS on the impact of sexual victimisation. Copies have been placed in the House Library.

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