House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Mar 2005 (pt 12)

10 Mar 2005 : Column 1952W—continued

Overseas Students

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the proposal to abolish the right of appeal against refusal of leave to enter the UK to study will be put into practice. [218897]

Mr. Browne: On 7 February, we published our five year strategy for asylum and immigration, Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain (Cm6472). The strategy states (paragraph 33) that we will legislate to abolish appeals for work and study routes for those refused an entry clearance overseas and

10 Mar 2005 : Column 1953W

those refused entry at a UK port or airport. This will require primary legislation. As my hon. Friend will be aware, the Government sets out their legislative programme each year in the Queen's Speech.

Police/Crime Statistics (Durham)

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police there were in North Durham in (a) 2001 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available [214459]

Ms Blears: Police strength by basic command unit has only been collected centrally since 31 March 2002. The North Durham area is made up of three basic command units. The available information for North Durham is given in the following table.

As at 31 March:

North Durham Basic
Command Units 2002 2003 2004

Derwentside 173 181 172

Chester-le Street/Durham 244 249 242

Easington 201 209 200

Total North Durham 618 639 614

10 Mar 2005 : Column 1954W

	As at 31 March:
North Durham Basic Command Units	2002	2003	2004
Derwentside	173	181	172
Chester-le Street/Durham	244	249	242
Easington	201	209	200
Total North Durham	618	639	614

Police

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police stations within the Greater London area have been (a) opened and (b) closed in each of the last three years. [214389]

Ms Blears: Decisions about police station openings and closure are operational matters and are made locally.

Prisons (Drug Testing)

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many and what proportion of prisoners have tested positive under the mandatory drug testing programme for (a) an illegal substance, (b) heroin, (c) cocaine, (d) ecstasy, (e) LSD and (f) cannabis in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [218857]

(2) how many prison inmates have been subject to mandatory drug testing in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [218860]

Paul Goggins: The total number of samples tested under the mandatory drug testing programme in the last five years and the numbers and proportions that have tested positive for all drugs, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and cannabis are given in the following table.

1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04

Number tested⁽⁹⁾ 87,660 88,478 83,407 78,967 83,640

Number positive 17,892 16,802 14,370 12,882 14,644

Percentage positive 20.4 19.0 17.2 16.3 17.5

Opiates2

Number positive 6,904 7,941 6,962 4,704 4,406

Percentage positive 7.9 9.0 8.4 6.0 5.3

Cocaine

Number positive 407 472 440 386 382

Percentage positive 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

Amphetamines3

Number positive 121 88 83 63 106

Percentage positive 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

LSD

Number positive 1 0 0 0 0

Percentage positive 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Cannabis

Number positive 12,009 9,452 7,644 8,195 10,157

Percentage positive 13.7 10.7 9.2 10.4 12.1

⁽⁹⁾ Some prisoners may have been tested more than once in any financial year.
⁽¹⁰⁾ Opiates include heroin
⁽¹¹⁾ Amphetamines include ecstasy

	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Number tested⁽⁹⁾	87,660	88,478	83,407	78,967	83,640
Number positive	17,892	16,802	14,370	12,882	14,644
Percentage positive	20.4	19.0	17.2	16.3	17.5
Opiates2
Number positive	6,904	7,941	6,962	4,704	4,406
Percentage positive	7.9	9.0	8.4	6.0	5.3
Cocaine
Number positive	407	472	440	386	382
Percentage positive	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Amphetamines3
Number positive	121	88	83	63	106
Percentage positive	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
LSD
Number positive	1	0	0	0	0
Percentage positive	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cannabis
Number positive	12,009	9,452	7,644	8,195	10,157
Percentage positive	13.7	10.7	9.2	10.4	12.1

Special Constables

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his Department's policy to pay special constables; and if he will make a statement. [220550]

Ms Blears: Allowance schemes for Special Constables are in operation in four forces. These schemes are subject to evaluation to assess the impact of paying an allowance on the recruitment and retention of Specials and also the number of hours specials are prepared to offer for police duties. We have no plan to change the voluntary status of the Special Constabulary.

West Mercia Police

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the length of employment of each Chief Superintendent in the West Mercia Police Constabulary is; [213314]

(2) what the salary is of (a) the West Mercia Police Chief Constable and (b) each West Mercia Police Chief Superintendent. [213317]

Ms Blears: There are ten chief superintendents in West Mercia Constabulary. As of 1 February 2004, their lengths of employment are as follows.

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19 years and 1 month;

19 years and 3 months;

21 years and 4 months;

23 years and 5 months;

24 years and 9 months;

25 years and 4 months;

26 years and 4 months;

27 years and 5 months;

28 years and 5 months;

29 years and 1 month.

Three officers are on the first point of the chief superintendents' salary scale at £63,345, one officer is at the second point of the scale at £65,145 and six officers are at the third point of the scale and receive a salary of £66,951.

The chief constable of West Mercia receives a salary of £121,071.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council England

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Arts Council England in each year between 1997–98 and 2003–04; and if she will make a statement. [221011]

Estelle Morris: The following figures supplied by Arts Council England provide a breakdown of the average number of staff employed, 1997–98—2003–04.

Average number
of staff Average number of staff (including creative partnerships programme)

1997–98 654 654

1998–99 673 673

1999–2000 644 644

2000–01 665 665

2001–02 690 690

2002–03 679 698

2003–04 642 707

	Average number of staff	Average number of staff (including creative partnerships programme)
1997–98	654	654
1998–99	673	673
1999–2000	644	644
2000–01	665	665
2001–02	690	690
2002–03	679	698
2003–04	642	707

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) technical and financial contracts, (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis by the Arts Council England for each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04; what the nature of the assignment for each consultant was; and what the value of work done by each consultant was. [221012]

Estelle Morris: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the administration costs of the Arts Council England were in each year between 1997–98 and 2003–04, broken down by (a) staff costs and (b) non-staff costs; and if she will make a statement. [221013]

Estelle Morris: The following figures provided by Arts Council England provide a breakdown of the information requested.

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£

Staff costs Staff costs (including creative partnerships programme) Non staff costs⁽¹²⁾

1997–98 15,774,030 15,774,030 21,310,051

1998–99 16,646,015 16,646,015 20,155,506

1999–2000 17,472,477 17,472,477 20,263,578

2000–01 20,273,618 20,273,618 20,328,583

2001–02 21,517,000 21,517,000 21,140,000

2002–03 23,418,000 24,578,000 21,974,000

2003–04 22,356,000 25,061,000 19,909,000

£

Non staff costs⁽¹²⁾ (including creative partnerships programme) Total administration costs Total administration costs (including creative partnerships programme)

1997–98 21,310,051 37,084,081 37,084,081

1998–99 20,155,506 36,801,521 36,801,521

1999–2000 20,263,578 37,736,055 37,736,055

2000–01 20,328,583 40,602,201 40,602,201

2001–02 21,140,000 42,657,000 42,657,000

2002–03 22,818,000 45,392,000 47,396,000

2003–04 21,725,000 42,265,000 46,786,000

⁽¹²⁾ Note that 1997–98 to 2000–01 figures have been adjusted to remove inter-company transactions with the Regional Arts Boards to prevent double counting of costs. Exceptional items have been excluded.

	Staff costs	Staff costs (including creative partnerships programme)	Non staff costs⁽¹²⁾
1997–98	15,774,030	15,774,030	21,310,051
1998–99	16,646,015	16,646,015	20,155,506
1999–2000	17,472,477	17,472,477	20,263,578
2000–01	20,273,618	20,273,618	20,328,583
2001–02	21,517,000	21,517,000	21,140,000
2002–03	23,418,000	24,578,000	21,974,000
2003–04	22,356,000	25,061,000	19,909,000

	Non staff costs⁽¹²⁾ (including creative partnerships programme)	Total administration costs	Total administration costs (including creative partnerships programme)
1997–98	21,310,051	37,084,081	37,084,081
1998–99	20,155,506	36,801,521	36,801,521
1999–2000	20,263,578	37,736,055	37,736,055
2000–01	20,328,583	40,602,201	40,602,201
2001–02	21,140,000	42,657,000	42,657,000
2002–03	22,818,000	45,392,000	47,396,000
2003–04	21,725,000	42,265,000	46,786,000

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