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Victim Support

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support is available for victims in sex abuse cases after they give their testimony; and what percentage of victims make use of this support. [195483]

Paul Goggins: There are a number of specialist groups providing support and other services to victims of sexual offending. We are providing £4 million over two years to
 
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support the development of such services. This will include increasing the number of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and developing a range of complimentary services to address short and longer-term individual need—many of which are provided by voluntary and community sector organisations. Information about the funding can be viewed on the Government funding web site.

Victim Support is a national organisation that provides support to victims and witnesses of crime, including victims of sexual offending. This year Victim Support have been offered £30 million grant-in-aid funding from the Home Office to enable them to provide this support.

If a victim of a sexual offence gives their express consent then the police will refer their details to Victim Support. The British Crime Survey and Victim Support data indicates that in 2003–04, approximately 31 per cent. of victims of reported sexual offences were referred to Victim Support.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what treatment and support is available for child victims of physical abuse; and what percentage of known victims made use of this help, in each of the last five years. [195728]

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.

Local authorities have a statutory duty, under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989, to make inquiries where they have reasonable cause for concern that a child may need protection. The Government's guidance, "Working Together to Safeguard Children" (1999), sets out the inter-agency processes to be followed where there are concerns about a child's welfare.

All referrals and allegations, whatever their origin, must be taken seriously. The main objectives of such inquiries are to establish the facts about the circumstances giving rise to the concern; decide if there are grounds for concern; identify sources and level of risk and decide protective or other action in relation to the child and any others.

If, following these inquiries, the child is considered to be at continuing risk of significant harm, a child protection conference should be convened to decide what future action is needed to safeguard the child and promote his or her welfare, how that action will be taken forward, and with what intended outcomes. If a child is considered to be at continuing risk of significant harm and all agencies decide that the child requires a child protection plan, the child's name should be placed on the child protection register, a key worker should be appointed and a child protection plan drawn up.

Children should be registered under one or more of the categories of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or neglect, according to a decision by the chair of the child protection conference. Where a child's name is placed on the child protection register, social services have lead responsibility in providing support and services, together with other agencies, in accordance with the child protection plan. Provision could include services from social services, health services, education and voluntary agencies according to the assessed needs of the child and family.
 
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The national health service (NHS) provides physical treatments for physical injuries sustained as a result of abuse. The NHS within child and adult mental health services (CAMHS) also provides treatment for children who suffer mental health problems and disorders as a result of abuse.

Information relating to the number of known child victims of physical abuse over each of the last five years is not collected centrally. We do, however, collect information relating to the number of children named on the child protection register. Statistics for the last three years are as follows:

Children and young people on child protection registers in England who had been classified under the "physical abuse" category.

At 31 March 2002—4,200 children and young people listed.

(This compared with an overall total of 25,700 children and young people on child protection registers at that time.)

At 31 March 2003—4,300 children and young people.

(This compares with an overall total of 26,600 children and young people on child protection registers.)

At 31 March 2004—4,100 children and young people.

(This compares with an overall total of 26,300 children and young people on child protection registers.)

We are unable to provide statistics from child protection registers in England relating specifically to physical abuse for the last five years as, prior to 2002, local authorities were asked for data relating to physical abuse which was categorised as "neglect, physical injury and sexual abuse", "neglect and physical injury", "physical injury and sexual abuse" and "physical injury alone".

Violent Crime

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures (a) are in place and (b) he plans to introduce to reduce the level of violent crime. [196699]

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

West London CCP Programme

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the costs are of each project funded by the West London Community Cohesion Pathfinder programme in the last 18 months; [167995]

(2) what budget has been allocated to the West London Community Cohesion Pathfinder programme in each year since it was initiated; and how much in each year has been (a) spent and (b) allocated. [167996]

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

Wildlife Crime

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
 
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and Rural Affairs and (b) others concerning wildlife crime; and if he will make a statement. [197713]

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

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in each police authority area in England and Wales are assigned to tackling wildlife crime. [197714]

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

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on links between wildlife crime and serious and organised crime; and if he will make a statement. [197722]

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

Work Permits

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of work permits issued in 2003 were long-term permits. [194123]

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

Yarl's Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the report by Stephen Shaw on the fire at Yarl's Wood in February 2002 to be published; and if he will make a statement. [186150]

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

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report by the prisons and probation ombudsman on the incident at Yarl's Wood detention centre in February 2003; and if he will make a statement. [195706]

Mr. Browne: The report by the prisons and probation ombudsman, Stephen Shaw, of the investigation into the serious disturbance at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre was published on 16 November 2004.

My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary announced this, by way of a written ministerial statement to the house.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to implement the report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman into the disturbance and fire at the Yarl's Wood Removal Centre. [199340]

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