House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Feb 2005 (pt 27)

28 Feb 2005 : Column 1010W—continued

Sex Abuse (Interview Equipment)

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of using the video-link equipment available in prisons to record interviews between policeand imprisoned witnesses in historical sex abuse cases. [207331]

Ms Blears: No assessment has been made of video-link equipment available in prisons for recording interviews between police and imprisoned witnesses in historical sex abuse cases. The Association of Chief Police Officers working group currently reviewing guidance to police officers conducting such investigations advise that any equipment meeting the 'Evidence Gathering By Camera Standards' set out in Home Office 'Achieving Best Evidence' can be used for interviews. In practice, where it is decided that an interview will be recorded, the police are likely to use accredited portable equipment or to take the prisoner to a dedicated site.

Visitor Numbers

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of bringing in a system of counting in and out visitors to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [215005]

Mr. Browne: The five-year immigration strategy that we announced on 7 February contained details of our plans through e-Borders to introduce an electronic system of counting in and out visitors to UK. The costs of this system, which we have not yet procured, are commercial in confidence.

28 Feb 2005 : Column 1011W

NORTHERN IRELAND

Harcourt Developments

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place between Northern Ireland government departments and agencies and Mr. Phil Flynn since 1998. [218007]

Mr. Paul Murphy: No records exist of discussions between Mr. Phil Flynn of Harcourt Developments and the Northern Ireland Office or the Northern Ireland departments and agencies.

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place between Northern Ireland government departments and agencies and Harcourt Developments since 1998. [218008]

Mr. Paul Murphy: A number of Northern Ireland departments and agencies have had discussions with Harcourt Developments in relation to the development of sites at a number of locations. Records indicate that the Northern Ireland Office has had no discussions with the company.

Housing

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding the Housing Executive has provided in each year since 2001 to assist local communities and residents groups in each Northern Ireland constituency; and what criteria are used to determine the allocation of funding. [217504]

Mr. Spellar: The amount of funding for each financial year from 2001 is as follows:

Financial year

Constituency 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 1 April 2004 to 31 January 2005

West Belfast 47,457 63,067 83,953 85,229

North Belfast 10,000 20,952 40,091 22,255

South Belfast — 5,500 15,900 10,600

East Belfast — — 10,000 2,397

Foyle — 8,291 23,000 23,800

Strangford — — — 10,000

Newry and Armagh 16,000 27,000 19,000 —

	Financial year
Constituency	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	1 April 2004 to 31 January 2005
West Belfast	47,457	63,067	83,953	85,229
North Belfast	10,000	20,952	40,091	22,255
South Belfast	—	5,500	15,900	10,600
East Belfast	—	—	10,000	2,397
Foyle	—	8,291	23,000	23,800
Strangford	—	—	—	10,000
Newry and Armagh	16,000	27,000	19,000	—

The constituency designation is based on the name of the group and/or the known area where it operates and compared with the names of the wards in that constituency.

The criteria are as follows:

i. The Community Group is properly constituted,

ii. The need for community involvement is established,

iii. The project is strategically relevant,

iv. The project has clear and measurable objectives,

v. A monitoring and review policy is in place,

vi. Matched funding has been sought but not obtained or where funding is in place double funding does not occur,

vii. The project offers additional benefits to community other than services currently offered by the local Council, Housing Executive (Estate Wardens) and Northern Ireland Tenants Action Project.

28 Feb 2005 : Column 1012W

Knives

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many crimes in Northern Ireland knives were used in each year since 1997; and how many were committed by teenagers in each year. [218802]

Mr. Pearson: The statistics are not available in the format requested. Figures for the period from 1 April 2001 are set out in the following table. Statistics regarding the number of teenage perpetrators are not readily available. To provide this information would require a manual trawl of records and would incur disproportionate cost.
Notifiable offences recorded where a knife was involved in the incident⁽²⁸⁾

Offence class 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 1 April 2004 to 21 February 2005

Offences against the
person. 350 369 367 326

Sexual Offences 8 4 7 3

Burglary 25 31 39 20

Robbery 365 431 324 229

Theft 33 12 21 18

Criminal damage 148 67 129 141

Offences against the
State 85 71 91 120

Other notifiable offences 2 2 7 0

Total 1,016 987 985 857

⁽²⁸⁾The figures relate to offences where a knife was involved in the incident—it is not known how the knife was actually used.

Offence class	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	1 April 2004 to 21 February 2005
Offences against the person.	350	369	367	326
Sexual Offences	8	4	7	3
Burglary	25	31	39	20
Robbery	365	431	324	229
Theft	33	12	21	18
Criminal damage	148	67	129	141
Offences against the State	85	71	91	120
Other notifiable offences	2	2	7	0
Total	1,016	987	985	857

Media Grants

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the newspaper and broadcasting companies in Northern Ireland that have received grants from public funds or from Invest Northern Ireland since May 1997, stating in each case the Department or other body responsible for the grant, the purpose for which the grant was made and the sum of money involved. [208675]

Mr. Gardiner: Information for the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2004 has been prepared and placed in the Library. Information prior to 1 April 1999 is not readily available.

Paramilitary Organisations

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to tackle criminal activities by paramilitary organisations. [217330]

Mr. Pearson: In respect of organised criminality by paramilitary organisations, the Government's response is led through the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF). It produces an annual Threat Assessment which informs the strategic priority setting of the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA). Expert Groups, involving both the LEAs and the Private Sector, work to develop measures and techniques to reduce the opportunities for organised criminality.

In 2004, the first Cross Border Organised Crime Assessment was launched by both An Garda Siochana and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This and the level of joint operational activity are tangible evidence of the effective co-operation occurring across the border.

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Vehicle Recovery Scheme

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles have been recovered in each police district command unit as part of the Managed Vehicle Recovery and Storage Scheme in each year since its introduction. [218242]

Mr. Pearson: The Managed Vehicle Recovery and Storage Scheme was launched on 1 October 2004.

28 Feb 2005 : Column 1014W

The scheme uses a mapping system which is based upon deploying the nearest available recovery contractor to any given location and does not take account of District Command Unit boundaries therefore the figures are not available in the format requested.

Between 1 October 2004 and 22 February 2005, 2,670vehicles were recovered under this scheme across Northern Ireland.