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24 Feb 2005 : Column 773W—continued

Crime Line

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken to answer the Crime Line in London was in the last period for which figures are available. [216468]

Ms Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Department's answer of 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1182W, on police divisions, what progress he has made in ensuring that (a) Trafford police division and (b) other police divisions have a suitable place of safety as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983. [213537]

Ms Blears: Further to my reply to the hon. Member's question of 15 December 2004, Trafford police division advises that they are meeting with representatives of the local primary health care trust on 22 February to discuss the provision of a designated place of safety in the division. The appropriate provision and location of a place of safety is a matter for local agreement between the police and the local trust.

Home Office are continuing discussions with colleagues in the Department of Health on the potential content of codes of practice proposed under the draft Mental Health Bill. The Bill was published on
 
24 Feb 2005 : Column 774W
 
8 September 2004 by the Department of Health and is currently under scrutiny by the Joint Committee on the draft Mental Health Bill. As indicated in my previous answer, we are looking to establish the statutory position whereby police stations can be used as places of safety only as a last resort and, if used for that purpose, for a limited time period only before transfer to a more appropriate environment.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what family details are recorded on police charge sheets; and what guidance is issued to police officers on how charge sheets should be completed. [215545]

Ms Blears: Only the detainee's name and address, and the address to which he or she will be bailed (if granted) are recorded on the charge sheet.

The charge sheet (form MG 4) is part of the process used by members of the prosecution team, police officers and Crown Prosecutors concerned with the preparation, processing and submission of prosecution files. A copy of the form and guidance on its completion is contained in the Prosecution Team Manual of Guidance. The Manual of Guidance Editorial Board, which consists of representatives from the Home Office, ACPO, the CPS and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, is responsible for the contents of the contents of the manual. The 2004–05 edition can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/justice/legalprocess/courts/manualofguidance.html.

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Essex Constabulary about plans to review police divisional boundaries in Essex; and if he will make a statement. [217154]

Ms Blears [holding answer 21 February 2005]: Deployment of police resources and the structural configuration to support policing issues is an operational matter and therefore falls firmly within the remit of the Chief Constable. This is not therefore an issue which the Secretary of State would normally involve himself.

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police driving schools there were in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years; and how many police officers took (a) a standard driving course and (b) an advanced driving course in each year. [213250]

Ms Blears: Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has a police driving school. It is for individual chief constables to determine which officers should undertake driving courses according to the nature of their role. Under internal police procedures and policies, officers may not operate warning equipment (e.g. blue lights) or exceed the speed limit in responding to 999 calls unless they have achieved the requisite driving standards. Police drivers may not undertake pursuits unless they have successfully completed the advanced driving course.

Association of Chief Police Officers policy is that driving skills should be re-assessed every three to five years. In addition, line managers should review driving standards as part of the annual appraisal process.
 
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The available information on numbers of police officers who took a standard driving course and an advanced driving course is shown in the following table.

Police forces/date	Standard 1994–2004	Advanced 1994–2004
Avon and Somerset
2004	116	33
2003	230	59
2002	102	15
2001	98	35
2000	82	6
1999	117	0
1998	139	0
Bedfordshire
2004	124	36
2003	100	24
2002	96	18
2001	54	0
Cambridgeshire
2004	63	27
2003	132	51
2002	14	15
2001	104	15
2000	22	12
1999	50	12
1998	66	9
1997	92	12
1996	50	15
1995	51	12
Cheshire
2004	117	77
2003	104	53
2002	78	84
2001	52	54
2000	52	42
1999	52	43
1998	78	47
1997	65	77
1996	78	78
1995	156	60
1994	182	47
Cleveland
2004	82	11
2003	112	11
2002	84	6
2001	68	12
2000	29	3
1999	34	3
1998	54	2
1997	90	2
1996	75	0
1995	83	7
Cumbria
2004	95	12
2003	95	18
2002	95	8
2001	95	10
2000	95	12
1999	95	12
1998	95	25
1997	95	12
1996	95	12
Derbyshire
2004	164	60
2003	95	35
2002	120	51
2001	116	6
2000	79	30
1999	75	28
1998	124	44
1997	91	17
1996	66	16
1995	54	33
Devon and Cornwall
2004	233	28
2003	134	17
2002	134	17
2001	84	16
2000	54	16
Dorset
2004	54	33
2003	102	27
2002	93	20
2001	90	22
2000	36	27
1999	62	24
1998	27	27
Durham
1995–2004	820	187
Dyfed-Powys
2004	108	30
2003	108	30
2002	54	15
2001	54	15
2000	54	15
Essex
2004	0	43
2003	60	9
2002	223	6
2001	213	0
2000	125	6
1999	67	20
1998	132	22
1997	93	35
1996	122	19
1995	94	25
1994	130	29
Gloucestershire
1994–2004	800	200
Greater Manchester
1994–2004	3,642	442
Gwent
2004	72	35
2003	72	35
2002	72	35
2001	72	30
2000	72	30
Hampshire
2004	96	48
2003	69	21
2002	84	42
2001	75	69
2000	87	54
1999	72	42
1998	81	24
Hertfordshire
2004	161	46
2003	184	67
2002	90	36
2001	85	12
2000	90	12
1999	60	n/a
1998	20	n/a
1997	35	25
1996	53	36
1995	34	34
Humberside
2004	52	35
2003	66	36
2002	105	28
2001	47	15
2000	44	23
1999	54	15
1998	58	35
1997	70	18
1996	53	33
1995	79	26
Kent(8)
2004	270	—
2003	185	—
2002	147	—
2001	109	—
2000	89	—
1999	119	—
1998	112	—
1997	108	—
1996	121	—
1995	102	—
Lancashire
2004	181	53
2003	188	34
2002	176	23
2001	123	43
2000	49	66
1999	95	65
1998	184	84
1997	272	92
1996	198	84
1995	104	148
Leicestershire
2004	135	39
2003	123	51
2002	120	51
2001	138	45
2000	138	51
1999	156	51
1998	81	54
1997	102	21
1996	114	21
1995	147	27
1994	138	39
Lincolnshire
2004	75	9
London Metropolitan Police
1995–2004	13,077	2,776
London City
2004	42	33
2003	31	22
Merseyside
2004	177	90
2003	170	101
2002	165	41
2001	141	78
2000	151	60
1999	193	57
1998	157	33
Norfolk
2004	85	23
2003	109	34
2002	113	33
2001	121	26
2000	66	30
1999	72	44
1998	62	28
1997	60	20
1996	76	27
1995	71	0
Northamptonshire
2004	40	20
2003	40	20
2002	40	20
Northumbria
2004	188	52
2003	179	59
2002	240	33
2001	134	64
2000	208	60
1999	132	23
1998	76	32
1997	150	45
1996	147	35
1995	124	16
North Wales
2004	226	26
2003	170	57
2002	199	48
2001	295	25
2000	111	4
North Yorkshire(9)
2004	147	15
Nottinghamshire
2003–04	153	74
2002–03	115	66
South Wales
2004	190	36
2003	270	11
2002	0	0
2001	218	42
2000	225	57
1999	180	45
1998	0	0
1997	0	0
1996	75	36
1995	90	36
South Yorkshire
1999–2004	768	234
Staffordshire
2004	97	30
2003	152	77
2002	127	44
Suffolk
2004	79	18
2003	104	38
2002	118	33
2001	92	33
2000	58	21
1999	45	13
1998	49	17
1997	50	11
1996	55	3
1995	52	7
Surrey
2004	180	40
2003	160	40
2002	160	40
2001	200	30
2000	180	30
1999	150	30
Sussex
2004	150	33
2003	114	21
2002	144	33
2001	82	24
Thames Valley
2004	400	79
2003	525	63
2002	452	66
2001	342	69
2000	192	68
Warwickshire
2004	45	16
2003	105	10
2002	70	—
2001	70	—
2000	70	—
West Mercia
2004	150	78
1995–2003	825	430
West Midlands
2004	400	67
2003	400	50
2002	400	43
2001	400	30
2000	n/a	30
1999	n/a	85
1998	n/a	97
1997	n/a	220
1996	n/a	211
1995	n/a	138
West Yorkshire
1995–2005	320	200
Wiltshire
2004	60	12
2003	60	12

⁽⁸⁾ Total amount for standard and advanced.
⁽⁹⁾ Only 2004 figures available.



 
24 Feb 2005 : Column 779W
 

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which department of the Prison Service advises prisons on producing information booklets for prisoners; whether the distribution of information booklets in prisons is monitored; and what guidelines have been issued concerning what information should be provided for prisoners (a) on reception and induction into prison and (b) prior to release. [215295]

Paul Goggins: The What Works in Prison Unit at Prison Service headquarters is responsible for the four centrally produced prisoners' information books, published in collaboration with the Prison Reform Trust. Their distribution is not monitored centrally; prisons order the books direct from Prison Service Enterprise and Supply Services, who also arrange printing. The production of local information books is left to the discretion of individual prisons and is not centrally monitored. Establishments can call upon policy leads at Prison Service headquarters for advice on specific topics. The guidance provided in Prison Service Order (PSO) 0550 on reception, PSO 0550 on prisoner induction and PSO 2300 on resettlement, which are published on the Prison Service website. Audit arrangements apply through standards based on the PSOs.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to increase the amount of purposeful activity available for prisoners. [216802]

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service is committed to increasing the provision of quality purposeful activity for prisoners. Through the Custody to Work initiative, an investment of over £14 million per annum is being provided to expand the initiatives that have a positive impact on reducing re-offending and contribute to purposeful activity.

This money is being used to develop the following purposeful activities across the prison estate: more accredited skills training in sectors with realistic job opportunities for released prisoners (such as construction, utilities, catering, industrial cleaning, warehousing and transport); job-search training and support; through-the-gate job placement; education and housing advice and support services.
 
24 Feb 2005 : Column 780W
 

Prison Industries occupy prisoners in out-of-cell activity and wherever possible help them gain skills, qualifications and work experience to improve their employment prospects on release. Over £4 million has been invested in industrial workshops over the past two years to help develop quality purposeful activities.

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