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21 Dec 2004 : Column 1523W—continued
Nursing
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase flexibility within nursing training to make it easier to convert from one nursing discipline to another. [206124]
Angela Smith: The Department monitors the levels of training required to deliver patient care and identified shortfalls are addressed through its pre-registration and post registration-commissioning plans.
Sexual Offences
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when there will be a review of sexual offences; and what areas this review will cover. [206329]
Mr. Spellar:
I have instructed officials to consider legislative measures to address concerns expressed about the law on sexual offences, particularly in relation to offences against children and vulnerable people. However, it is too early at this stage to know the range of issues likely to be covered in any proposed legislative
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change. I plan to have draft legislation published for consultation next year and brought forward when the parliamentary timetable permits.
Smoking
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate his Department has made of the number of patients who commence smoking while in psychiatric hospitals. [205959]
Angela Smith: The number of patients who commence smoking while in psychiatric hospitals is not measured.
Special Needs Assistants
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the average starting salary is for those qualified to assist children with speech and learning difficulties in Northern Ireland; and what Board areas have the (a) highest and (b) lowest levels of pay scale; [202199]
(2) what the average starting salary is for those qualified to assist children with speech and learning difficulties in Northern Ireland; and what board areas have the (a) highest and (b) lowest levels of pay scale. [206054]
Angela Smith: The average starting salary for those qualified to assist children with speech and learning difficulties is as follows: Speech and Language Therapists £19,413, Speech and Language Therapists' Assistants £11,195 and Technical Instructors £15,105. The Eastern Board area has the highest starting salary and the Southern Board area has the lowest starting salary for Speech and Language Therapists. Technical Instructors and Speech and Language Therapists' assistants are paid at the same starting salary across the four Board areas.
Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Services Trust
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the impact on service provision of the budgetary overspend by the Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Services Trust in the most recent financial year. [205968]
Angela Smith: Sperrin Lakeland Trust has assured the Department that it should met its statutory requirement to remain within budget, and that its budget profile for the rest of the 2004–05 financial year will not impact directly on the health care services provided by the Trust within the resources allocated.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Alcohol-related Crime
Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of this summer's campaign on alcohol-related anti-social behaviour on public services, with particular reference to (a) police and (b) ambulances. [201596]
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Ms Blears: The summer Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign ran over eight weekends in July and August 2004. The campaign saw concerted activity by police and partners to tackle alcohol-related violence and disorder and target those who encourage underage and binge drinking. It formed part of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which was published on 15 July 2004.
In the 92 Basic Command Units that took part in the summer campaign, there was a slight increase in the number of lower level harassment and violent incidents recorded due to more proactive policing through enhanced enforcement activities. However, there was a 9 per cent. fall in more serious violent crime in the participating areas when compared with a one per cent. increase in the areas that did not take part. Data to demonstrate the impact on Ambulance Trusts was not captured centrally.
The effectiveness of the campaign was also measured by feedback from participating Basic Command Units and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partners. This has been captured in a "Lessons Learned" document that has been circulated to all BCUs and CDRPs. These lessons will be employed as part of the forthcoming Christmas campaign that will run from 17 December 2004 to 3 January 2005.
Antisocial Behaviour
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many housing-related antisocial behaviour incidents have been reported in each of the last seven years. [204535]
Ms Blears: In October 2004, the Home Office published an on-line report entitled "Perceptions and experience of antisocial behaviour: findings from the 2003/2004 British Crime Survey" (HO Online Report 49/04). The report shows that houses and flats were the perceived target in nine per cent of the most recent instances of vandalism or graffiti in the last 12 months (the only period for which this information is available). A copy of this report is available on the Home Office website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/rdsolr4904.pdf
The statistics available from the recorded crime series relate to recorded offences of criminal damage to a dwelling and racially aggravated criminal damage to a dwelling. Statistics are only available from 1998–99.
Note:
1. The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
n/a=not available
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Note:
1. The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to place acceptable behaviour contracts on a statutory basis. [204538]
Ms Blears: There are a number of intervention and enforcement tools available for tackling antisocial behaviour. The action taken should reflect the nature of the antisocial behaviour and the impact it has had on the community. The use of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and other early interventions are crucial as they show communities, and potential perpetrators of antisocial behaviour, that action will be taken against those who behave in an antisocial manner.
ABCs were first pioneered by the London borough of Islington with the Metropolitan police. Their successful model was then promoted by the Home Office and adopted across the rest of the country. They are voluntary agreements between a person who has been involved in antisocial behaviour and one or more local agencies. They are not statutory orders and we currently have no plans to place ABCs on a statutory basis.
However, ABCs play an important role in early intervention to tackle antisocial behaviour and the Home Office, Youth Justice Board and Association of Chief Police Officers did produce guidance on them in November 2002.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been (a) applied for and (b) successfully obtained by local authorities, broken down by local authority area. [204851]
Ms Blears
[holding answer 14 December 2004]: From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data for antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) were collected by police force area on aggregate numbers only. From 1 June 2000 copies of the orders were collected from the courts. From these copies we are able to determine the type of applicant. The number of ASBOs applied for during the period from 1 June 2000 to 30 June 2004 (latest available), as notified to the Home Office, where the main complainant was a local government authority, are given in the table by result.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Crosby; and how many of those have been violated. [205030]
Ms Blears: The Home Office have been notified of eight antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued, between 1 June 2000 and 30 June 2004 (latest available), where prohibitions have been imposed in the Sefton metropolitan borough council area, in which Crosby is situated.
Data on breaches of ASBOs are collated centrally at Criminal Justice System area level only.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rates of antisocial behaviour, broken down by type, have been in Crosby over the past five years; and what the national levels of each type of incidents was. [205031]
Ms Blears: Data on rates of antisocial behaviour, broken down by type, for Crosby over the past five years is not centrally available.
The Home Office uses the British Crime Survey (BCS) to measure public perceptions of antisocial behaviour nationally. The Home Office antisocial behaviour target to reduce antisocial behaviour is based on a BCS measure of public perceptions of seven types of antisocial behaviour. However, BCS data cannot be broken down to areas smaller than police force areas, and the figures for perceptions of antisocial behaviour are not routinely published at below regional level.
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Results from the British Crime Survey are available in Home Office Online Report 49/04 (2004) "Perceptions and experience of antisocial behaviour: findings from the British Crime Survey", by Martin Wood. This report is available on http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken in Sefton to combat antisocial behaviour. [205032]
Ms Blears: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 is the single biggest package of measures tackling antisocial behaviour. They were introduced after widespread consultation with communities and practitioners. These powers are part of the Government's Together campaign to help local people and agencies to tackle the menace of yob behaviour. The Act and Together apply across all England and Wales including the hon. Members Constituency.
The Sefton Antisocial Behaviour Unit was set up on 4 October 2004 and comprises of a manager, solicitor, four antisocial behaviour officers and they are also recruiting an additional member of staff. Sefton is fully on board and delivering a varied menu of options in the fight against antisocial behaviour. Listed are activities that have or are taking place to tackle the problem of ASB.
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Currently there is a dispersal order on the trains, railway line and stations in the area. There are proposals to introduce a second dispersal order in the Crosby and Waterloo area. Prior to this second order the police have been running an operation for the last six months to disperse the gangs of youths that gather and congregate in the area.
Following a major police operation, involving drug dealing in the south of the borough, a closure order was obtained following which the persons involved relinquished their tenancy to the premises. The police and council have been working together to bring the house back up to a decent homes standard ready for reoccupation. The police have agreed to allow the council to go to the court and seek a discharge of the order for the premises (Monday 20 December 2004) ready for the premises to be re-let on Tuesday 4 January 2005. The police are now considering other closure orders and will be working closely with the council.
Throughout the year Trading Standards Officers have conducted a number of test purchases from off licences in the area, resulting in a number of formal cautions being issued to the licensees. There are more planned in the run up to Christmas as part of the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC). Local police officers are seizing alcohol from youths throughout the area
Sefton has taken part in Operation Good (Buy and Banger along with the "Responsible Retailer Scheme," a multi-agency campaign involving the community, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Merseyside police and Sefton council. The aims and objectives are to
The Police are making full use of fixed penalties for a variety of offences that are antisocial behaviour related. Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) One of the RSLs is currently recruiting a dedicated ASB officer, it is envisaged this person will work alongside Sefton ASB Unit.
There are strong working relationships between Sefton antisocial behaviour unit, Merseyside police and the Crown Prosecution Service via their dedicated ASB Prosecutor Iain Criddle.
Have recruited five Arson Reduction Officers one for each CDRP Seftons Officer is working within Sefton ASB Unit.
Currently, Sefton has 23 antisocial behaviour orders.
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Full use is being made of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) and Tenancy Warning Contracts (TWC). There are a variety of responses in that if the person subject of a contract conforms no further action is taken. If they have a minor breach they are warned if it is more serious then the fact that a person has been given a warning will be cited in future court proceedings.
Currently, there is support available from the Youth Offending Team, Connexions and projects such as Restorative Justice, Parenting 2000 and Early Years. Work is currently underway under the Youth Offending Team to formalise what is available as part of the councils (Children Schools and Families) Preventative Strategy.
Additional police resources are brought into different areas to target alcohol related crime at different times when pubs and clubs close.
The Police are working closely with Sefton Security Wardens and CCTV, Sefton council, Concierge Service and Community Support Officers. The Community Safety Department have been leading on various projects including environmental improvement, i.e. clearing high growing shrubs and low branches of trees to give clear peripheral vision to people using the park. Designing out crime and secure by design again being driven by Community Safety in the Housing Market Renewal Areas. The mapping of "crime and grime" one such example is the disposal of drug paraphernalia in public spaces were the local services provide data on the location of needle finds. This information is then forwarded to drug referral agencies so they can target the area and were possible bring users into service.
Targets the drug users who have been identified via the Prolific and Other Priority Offenders scheme that is operating in the area. This lawfully coerces some of the most prolific offenders into drug treatment, with the threat of being targeted by a variety of agencies if the individual fails to comply with the scheme.
Officers This is due to commence in January 2005, involving additional police officer that have been financed through Housing Market Renewal Funds to provide services over and above the normal services by Merseyside police in the HMF areas.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities (a) sought and (b) pursued to a successful conclusion in court the (i) greatest and (ii) lowest number of antisocial behaviour orders in 2003–04. [202856]
Ms Blears:
The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) applied for during the period from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, as notified to the Home Office, where the main complainant was a local government authority, are given in the table by result.
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Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been (a) applied for and (b) granted by the
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courts in Lancashire, broken down by local authority area, in each year since their introduction. [203041]
Ms Blears: The available information is given in the table.
n/a = not applicable
(5) From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected by police force area on aggregate numbers only. During this
period 5 ASBOs were notified as issued within Lancashire.
(6) Only covers applications dealt with by 30 June 2004.
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Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 633W, on antisocial behaviour orders, what punishment will be administered to those who have breached an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO); and if he will break down the number of ASBOs (a) issued and (b) breached by local authority area. [205999]
Ms Blears [holding answer 20 December 2004]: Persons who have been convicted for breaching their antisocial behaviour order (ASBOs) may receive a conditional discharge through to a maximum custodial sentence of five years.
The number of ASBOs issued, as reported to the Home Office, where restrictions have been imposed in specific local authority areas, are given in the table which will be placed in the Library. Data on breaches of ASBOs are collated centrally at Criminal Justice System area level only.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in each month since their introduction. [205358]
Ms Blears: The readily available information is by quarter and is given in the table.
(7) During this period only aggregate numbers for the whole period were collected by police force area.
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