House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 31 Jan 2005 (pt 35)

31 Jan 2005 : Column 698W—continued

Police National Computer

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the police national computer was accessed unlawfully in each of the last five years; and in how many cases those responsible were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted. [210163]

Ms Blears: The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO), who are responsible for maintaining the police national computer (PNC), at Hendon, are unaware of any unlawful access to the PNC by its staff or members of the general public during the time period stated or before.

Statistics recording the number of occasions a police officer has accessed the police national computer unlawfully and then been prosecuted and convicted for this offence in each of the last five years are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police Retirement

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have retired in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) rank and (b) police force area. [210018]

Ms Blears: Figures on the number of police officer retirements in England and Wales between 1996–97 and 2003–04 are given in the table.

These figures are for retirements with either an ordinary or ill-health pension and are broken down by (a) rank and (b) police force area respectively.
Police officer retirements by rank in England and Wales 1996–97 to 2003–04

Chief constable Assistant chief constable ACPO Chief superintendent Superintendent

1996–97 7 20 — — 206

1997–98 7 13 — — 291

1998–99 12 17 — — 180

1999–00 8 24 — — 158

2000–01 5 16 — — 156

2001–02 4 15 — — 154

2002–03⁽⁵⁴⁾ — — — — —

2003–04⁽⁵⁵⁾ — — 18 58 74

Chief inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable Total

1996–97 210 537 863 2,512 4,355

1997–98 238 562 928 2,639 4,678

1998–99 171 443 778 2,511 4,112

1999–00 149 421 758 2,411 3,929

2000–01 148 430 780 2,269 3,804

2001–02 136 395 841 2,530 4,075

2002–03⁽⁵⁴⁾ — — — — —

2003–04⁽⁵⁵⁾ 107 341 627 1,955 3,180

⁽⁵⁴⁾Data is not available for all forces for 2002–03
⁽⁵⁵⁾No data provided by one force for second quarter
Following changes to police personnel data collection, data on retirements by rank have been collected quarterly since 1 April 2002.

31 Jan 2005 : Column 699W

Police officer retirements by police force area

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04

Avon and Somerset 132 124 80 104 109 121 111 65

Bedfordshire 32 46 49 39 31 26 32 27

Cambridgeshire 46 34 46 37 28 43 44 41

Cheshire 50 82 61 67 62 78 93 66

City of London 21 38 27 29 26 32 22 26

Cleveland 38 25 53 53 65 57 50 44

Cumbria 58 45 36 50 41 30 37 32

Derbyshire 65 77 50 36 37 56 78 54

Devon and Cornwall 114 111 96 112 108 96 100 87

Dorset 48 88 45 49 54 58 36 45

Durham 47 51 32 32 35 51 52 40

Dyfed Powys 26 25 20 31 30 21 35 25

Essex 75 100 96 99 75 72 80 87

Gloucestershire 45 56 51 36 35 49 48 23

Greater Manchester 319 329 282 235 239 176 198 140

Gwent 46 32 28 49 43 79 46 49

Hampshire 79 70 67 129 107 121 132 109

Hertfordshire 54 51 45 67 48 65 52 46

Humberside 64 83 64 76 74 64 61 47

Kent 80 89 79 102 103 139 106 94

Lancashire⁽⁵⁶⁾ 59 111 75 78 105 107 n/a 79

Leicestershire 51 59 47 46 56 52 58 38

Lincolnshire 42 33 49 58 45 50 47 33

Merseyside 217 151 112 116 124 163 154 112

Metropolitan Police 910 983 1,065 815 686 717 651 579

Norfolk 65 66 47 45 49 51 65 32

Northamptonshire 24 44 16 25 26 28 31 27

Northumbria 136 151 115 103 91 107 106 97

North Wales 59 46 62 49 60 51 52 6

North Yorkshire 50 38 29 51 55 53 36 41

Nottinghamshire 71 92 82 67 75 87 88 79

South Wales 119 136 139 105 131 101 103 108

South Yorkshire 67 92 100 100 104 133 106 101

Staffordshire 86 126 69 51 50 63 79 58

Suffolk 55 51 26 37 52 36 46 36

Surrey 56 73 50 54 52 62 57 44

Sussex 141 128 127 107 106 98 90 88

Thames Valley 125 123 92 109 91 104 128 108

Warwickshire 26 45 42 25 33 27 29 26

West Mercia 83 69 71 79 114 80 75 59

West Midlands 247 294 203 184 158 216 196 156

West Yorkshire 160 163 142 153 158 223 177 140

Wiltshire 67 48 45 40 33 32 44 29

Total 4,355 4,678 4,112 3,929 3,804 4,075 3,831 3,223

⁽⁵⁶⁾Data for 2002–03 not available

	Chief constable	Assistant chief constable	ACPO	Chief superintendent	Superintendent
1996–97	7	20	—	—	206
1997–98	7	13	—	—	291
1998–99	12	17	—	—	180
1999–00	8	24	—	—	158
2000–01	5	16	—	—	156
2001–02	4	15	—	—	154
2002–03⁽⁵⁴⁾	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04⁽⁵⁵⁾	—	—	18	58	74

	Chief inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
1996–97	210	537	863	2,512	4,355
1997–98	238	562	928	2,639	4,678
1998–99	171	443	778	2,511	4,112
1999–00	149	421	758	2,411	3,929
2000–01	148	430	780	2,269	3,804
2001–02	136	395	841	2,530	4,075
2002–03⁽⁵⁴⁾	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04⁽⁵⁵⁾	107	341	627	1,955	3,180

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Avon and Somerset	132	124	80	104	109	121	111	65
Bedfordshire	32	46	49	39	31	26	32	27
Cambridgeshire	46	34	46	37	28	43	44	41
Cheshire	50	82	61	67	62	78	93	66
City of London	21	38	27	29	26	32	22	26
Cleveland	38	25	53	53	65	57	50	44
Cumbria	58	45	36	50	41	30	37	32
Derbyshire	65	77	50	36	37	56	78	54
Devon and Cornwall	114	111	96	112	108	96	100	87
Dorset	48	88	45	49	54	58	36	45
Durham	47	51	32	32	35	51	52	40
Dyfed Powys	26	25	20	31	30	21	35	25
Essex	75	100	96	99	75	72	80	87
Gloucestershire	45	56	51	36	35	49	48	23
Greater Manchester	319	329	282	235	239	176	198	140
Gwent	46	32	28	49	43	79	46	49
Hampshire	79	70	67	129	107	121	132	109
Hertfordshire	54	51	45	67	48	65	52	46
Humberside	64	83	64	76	74	64	61	47
Kent	80	89	79	102	103	139	106	94
Lancashire⁽⁵⁶⁾	59	111	75	78	105	107	n/a	79
Leicestershire	51	59	47	46	56	52	58	38
Lincolnshire	42	33	49	58	45	50	47	33
Merseyside	217	151	112	116	124	163	154	112
Metropolitan Police	910	983	1,065	815	686	717	651	579
Norfolk	65	66	47	45	49	51	65	32
Northamptonshire	24	44	16	25	26	28	31	27
Northumbria	136	151	115	103	91	107	106	97
North Wales	59	46	62	49	60	51	52	6
North Yorkshire	50	38	29	51	55	53	36	41
Nottinghamshire	71	92	82	67	75	87	88	79
South Wales	119	136	139	105	131	101	103	108
South Yorkshire	67	92	100	100	104	133	106	101
Staffordshire	86	126	69	51	50	63	79	58
Suffolk	55	51	26	37	52	36	46	36
Surrey	56	73	50	54	52	62	57	44
Sussex	141	128	127	107	106	98	90	88
Thames Valley	125	123	92	109	91	104	128	108
Warwickshire	26	45	42	25	33	27	29	26
West Mercia	83	69	71	79	114	80	75	59
West Midlands	247	294	203	184	158	216	196	156
West Yorkshire	160	163	142	153	158	223	177	140
Wiltshire	67	48	45	40	33	32	44	29
Total	4,355	4,678	4,112	3,929	3,804	4,075	3,831	3,223

Police Stations

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) rural police stations and (b) beat houses have closed in each year since 1997. [210670]

Ms Blears: This information is not held centrally.

Prison Service

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds of (a) cost and (b) anticipated benefit the decision was made to extend the programme of performance testing in the Prison Service to establishments that are not designated as failing. [209454]

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has no plans to extend performance testing to establishments that are not failing. Performance testing has proved to be an extremely successful mechanism for driving improvement in poor performing establishments. Although the National Offender Management Service has announced that the formal programme of performance testing will cease with the return of market testing, the Prison Service will retain performance testing as part of an internal performance improvement

31 Jan 2005 : Column 700W

programme designed to help the Service compete effectively in the more contestable environment. Any poor performing establishment that fails to recognise the need for change and therefore presents a poor prospect at any future market test may be performance tested.

Sentencing (Costs)

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average cost per annum of supervising an individual on a community punishment order in England and Wales was in the latest period for which figures are available; [207068]

(2) what the average cost per annum of supervising an individual on a community rehabilitation order in England and Wales was in the latest period for which figures are available; [207070]

(3) what the average cost per annum of supervising an individual on community rehabilitation and community punishment order in England and Wales was in the latest period for which figures are available. [207071]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 10 January 2004]: The average budgeted cost per annum of supervising an individual on the following orders is as follows.

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£

Cost

Community Punishment Order 1,890

Community Rehabilitation Order 2,830

Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order 2,750

	Cost
Community Punishment Order	1,890
Community Rehabilitation Order	2,830
Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order	2,750

These figures cover all local Probation Boards' costs including the cost of probation officer training. These figures are derived from a costing exercise undertaken for the first time in 2003–04 by the 42 local boards.

Sex Abuse (Historical Cases)

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the Senior Investigation Officers' Manual has been amended to specify that any initial approach by the police to former residents of care homes should be no more than a general invitation to provide information to the investigation team; [207459]

(2) what guidance was available to police forces involved in historical sex abuse operations prior to the introduction of the Senior Investigations Officers' handbook in 2002. [207332]

Ms Blears: The Senior Investigations Handbook served to bring together existing guidance on investigations generally and for investigating child abuse, including where allegations are made about historical incidents. This included the Working Together Guidance which has a chapter dedicated to historical allegations and the Manual for Senior Investigation Officers managing Major Incidents—Major Incident Rooms: the Standardisation of Administrative Procedures for the Management of Serious and Series Crime.

The Government's Response to the Home Affairs Committee's Report published in April 2003 indicated that the Senior Investigations Handbook already included guidance that the SIO in any case must always record, as a matter of routine, justification for using the dip sampling or investigation method for making initial approaches to former residents of care homes.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has established a multi-agency working group to review the SIO Handbook which was produced in 2002. That review group has cognisance of all recommendations made by the Committee and in particular on-going concerns raised by my hon. Friend and will ensure amendments in line with police investigative policy. This will include adding further safeguards to the initial

31 Jan 2005 : Column 702W

approach for evidence as considered by the group. I understood that the chair of that group has now invited my hon. Friend to present her concerns to the group in person.

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