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14 Mar 2005 : Column 46W—continued
Police
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outturn Band D council tax precepts for 2005–06 are for each police authority in England and Wales. [219862]
Ms Blears: Information on Band D council taxes for police authorities in 2005–06 is currently being collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Welsh Assembly Government. Figures will be published on 23 March as part of the statistical release on council taxes for 2005–06.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new Chief Constable of Essex police will be appointed. [220589]
Ms Blears: Essex police authority will hold interviews to select the new Chief Constable of Essex from 9–11 March 2005.
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of police officers per 1,000 population in England and Wales is in each police authority. [220395]
Ms Blears [holding answer 7 March 2005]: The latest data for police strength as at 30 September 2004 were published on 24 February in Home Office on-line report number 23/05. This is available from the Home Office website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/onlinepubs1.html.
Information on the number of police officers per 100,000 population as at 30 September 2004 is given in the following table.
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(13)Combined with City of London
Policies
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policies in the areas of (a) crime reduction, (b) antisocial behaviour, (c) policing and (d) active communities have been put in place since 1997 by his Department (i) for all parts of the UK and (ii) in Scotland. [220337]
Ms Blears [holding answer 4 March 2005]: The Government has put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for all parts of the UK. For Scotland these are devolved matters for the Scottish Executive and for Northern Ireland are matters for the Northern Ireland Office.
In England and Wales between March 1997 and September 2004, the number of police officers increased by 12,977 from 127,158 to 140,135. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 4,599 CSOs on the streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04,
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there has been a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 23 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 20 per cent.
Expenditure on policing supported by Government grant or spent centrally on services for the police in England and Wales has increased by over 53 per cent. (26 per cent. in real terms) between 1997–98 and 2005–06.
As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area in England and Wales has had a local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme.
Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £301.3 million has been allocated under these initiatives. A further £20 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to Home Office Regional Directors for CDRP capacity building.
The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk
New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. There are currently 50 TOGETHER antisocial behaviour action areas in England and Wales. Between April 1999 and September 2004 a total of 3,826 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued. Further information on tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp
Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the House Library.) Under this, the Government has invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs can be obtained from http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams
The Government is working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. The Home Office has allocated £15 million in grants under the Connecting Communities race equality grant scheme over the three years (2003–06). Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk
This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org
Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Prisons
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the governors of each prison as at 1 November together with their length of service (a) as a prison officer and (b) as a governor . [199560]
Paul Goggins: A list of current governing governors of public sector Prison Service establishments together with information on the length of time they have served as governing governor at any establishment is contained in the following table. Comprehensive information on time spent in officer grades is not readily available and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Information on the career histories of directors of contracted (privately) managed establishments is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. The directors of contracted establishments are:
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Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) by how much the Prison Service's budget has changed in 2004–05; and what the planned budget is for each of the next three years; [216747]
(2) what changes have been made to the operational budgets of prisons in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [216748]
Paul Goggins: The original budget allocation to the Public Prison Service for 2004–05 was as follows:
Changes from the original allocations were made during the year. Additional funding from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) for immigration detainees held at Dover and Haslar, and End Year Flexibility for resource funding (£7 million) and capital funding (£65 million) increased the budget.
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(14)These data are on the principal offence basis.
(15)Information held centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by borough in the Inner London Area.
(16)Includes Marlborough Street 1997–99.
(17)Includes Clerkenwell and Hampstead, 1997–98.
(18)Cases included with adult courts from 1998 (from 1999 for cases heard at the Crown Court).
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(19)City of London and Metropolitan Police Force areas.
(20)Offence added to PND scheme only from 1 November 2004.
This will result in a final budget of:
The baseline budget for 2005–06 is:
Budgets for 2006–07 and 2007–08 have not yet been finalised.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of family visits to prisoners on prisoners' prospects of (a) accommodation and (b) employment on release; and if he will make a statement. [220352]
Paul Goggins: The Resettlement outcomes on release from prison in 2003" report was published on the Home Office website on 24 February 2005.
The findings indicate that good family ties, as measured by the fact of at least one family or partner visit during custody, were strongly associated with prisoners having positive expectations of accommodation and employment arranged prior to release.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the ratio of mental health professionals in the penal system to prisoners is. [220682]
Paul Goggins: It would not be practicable to attempt any such estimate. Prisoners with mental health problems will be treated by a wide range of mental health professionals from a variety of service providers. We have met and exceeded the commitment in the national health service plan that by 2004 300 additional staff would be employed to provide mental health services in prisons.
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average salaries of prison officers in (a) public and (b) private prisons were on the latest date for which figures are available; [217296]
(2) what comparison he has made of terms and conditions of staff in public and private prisons. [217298]
Paul Goggins:
The latest figures available for the average salary of a prison officer employed in the England and Wales Prison Service are for January 2005.
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Excluding allowances this is £23,307 for a prison officer, £27,380 for a senior officer and £29,508 for a principal officer.
The Prison Service Pay Review Body provided a comparison of the terms and conditions of staff in public and private prisons as part of its September 2004 analysis of Prison Service pay. The results are as follows.
Prison officer | Prison custody officer | |
|---|---|---|
| Average starting pay (£) | 16,896 | (21)16,076 |
| Average basic pay (£) | 23,307 | 17,148 |
| Pay range (£) | (22)16,896–25,788 | (23)16,076 |
| Average working week (hours) | 39 | 41 |
(21)After training.
(22)Normal scale ends at £24,868. Staff can then receive long service awards taking them to £25,285 and £25,788 after a further four and six years respectively.
(23)Maximum of range not available.
A prison officer is an officer who works for the public sector prison service. A prison custody officer works for a contracted out prison.
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison staff have taken sick leave for (a) two to four consecutive weeks, (b) one to two consecutive months, (c) two to four consecutive months and (d) more than four consecutive months in each year since 1997. [218247]
Paul Goggins: The information is provided in the following tables for each year since 1999–2000 for the public sector Prison Service. Reliable data on sickness absence is not held centrally for periods prior to 1999 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Data is not available in respect of contracted out prisons. Since 1999, the Prison Service has improved significantly the recording of sickness absence data on corporate systems and is now satisfied that recording arrangements are robust. However, the following data for the earlier years may understate the actual position at the time.
| Cases | Percentage of total cases | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 3,599 | 6.4 |
| 2000–01 | 4,121 | 6.6 |
| 2001–02 | 4,722 | 7.8 |
| 2002–03 | 4,856 | 6.9 |
| 2003–04 | 5,044 | 7.5 |
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| Cases | Percentage of total cases | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 2,150 | 3.8 |
| 2000–01 | 2,567 | 4.1 |
| 2001–02 | 3,100 | 5.1 |
| 2002–03 | 3,325 | 4.8 |
| 2003–04 | 3,235 | 4.8 |
| Cases | Percentage of total cases | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 1,340 | 2.4 |
| 2000–01 | 1,605 | 2.6 |
| 2001–02 | 1,879 | 3.1 |
| 2002–03 | 2,046 | 2.9 |
| 2003–04 | 2,172 | 3.2 |
| Cases | Percentage of total cases | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 975 | 1.7 |
| 2000–01 | 1,551 | 2.5 |
| 2001–02 | 1,979 | 3.3 |
| 2002–03 | 2,143 | 3.1 |
| 2003–04 | 1,959 | 2.9 |
Note:
Two to four weeks has been defined as 14–28 calendar days inclusive; One to two months as 29–60 calendar days inclusive; Two to four months as 61–120 days inclusive; more than four months as greater than 120 calendar days.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government have introduced to combat drug use in prisons. [220921]
Paul Goggins: The prison elements of the National Offender Management Service Drug Strategy provides a comprehensive framework to reduce the amount of illegal drugs in prisons. Passive drug dogs are used to detect traces of drugs on visitors, and other dogs are used actively to search for drugs within prisons, as part of a general drug search strategy. Closed circuit television systems are installed in all visits areas to monitor behaviour, and fixed and low-level furniture is used in visits areas to make it difficult to pass drugs undetected. Sanctions are taken against visitors suspected of smuggling drugs, including visit bans and closed visits. Where there is adequate evidence they are prosecuted. Prisons and police share intelligence about drug routes into prisons.
Each month a random sample of the prisoners in each prison (5 per cent. or 10 per cent. depending on the size of the prison) is required to submit to a drug test, and a positive test result will lead to disciplinary proceedings. All establishments use and contribute to a drug supply reduction good practice guide and a monthly security bulletin, both of which share information on ways of protecting against drugs.
Prisons work with the Police Scientific Development Branch to strengthen physical and technical barriers, particularly in prisons, such as those in city centres, where public spaces are close to perimeter walls. Prisons have a Professional Standards Unit to help identify staff who may be involved in or at risk of corruption. It will provide relevant information to facilitate investigations.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the re-offending rates for (a) individuals who participated in rehabilitation programmes and (b) individuals who did not participate in rehabilitation programmes during their time in prison have been in each year since 1997. [220925]
Paul Goggins: Reconviction rates for adults and juveniles are published on an annual basis, to assist withthe measurement of the PSA target on reducing reconvictions. Information on reconviction rates from rehabilitation programmes undertaken in prison are not recorded centrally, so it is not possible to calculate reconviction rates separately for these offenders.
Although reconviction rates for those who participated in rehabilitation programmes are not available on a yearly basis, evaluations of rehabilitation programmes for prisoners are and have been regularly undertaken. The results of those that have been completed can be found in Home Office Research Study 291, which reviews the evidence on the impact of corrections on re-offending.
The most recent national figures for reconviction rates are published as on line reports RDS OLR 08/05—Juvenile reconviction: results from the 2003 cohort (February 2005) and RDS OLR 59/04—Adult reconviction: results from the 2001 cohort (December 2004).
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rehabilitation programmes are available in prisons. [220926]
Paul Goggins: In addition there are other activities in prison which support rehabilitation and address prisoners' resettlement needs, including learning and skills, prison work, pre-release programmes, housing advice and support services, Jobcentre Plus employment surgeries and job search training and support.
Rehabilitation programmes, accredited by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel, available in prisons include general offending behaviour programmes such as Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS) and Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it (CALM), sex offender treatment programmes, a range of drug treatment programmes and therapeutic communities.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prisons are subject to Crown immunity for trading standards; and if he will make a statement. [214998]
Paul Goggins: Trading standards covers an extremely wide area of law and involves statutes dealing with matters such as weights and measures, consumer credit and sale of goods. An answer dealing with Crown immunity under all these statutes would cause disproportionate costs to be incurred.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether US-based firms have been approached by (a) the Government and (b) its executive agency with regard to the contracting-out of (i) prison and (ii) probation services. [218258]
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Paul Goggins: Three US-based firms were invited to a National Offender Management Service (NOMS) conference for private sector companies on 8 December 2004. It is open to them, and any other private sector companies that meet the operational specification, to bid for a contract in any future NOMS competitions.
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