House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 7 Apr 2005 (pt 70)

7 Apr 2005 : Column 1805W—continued

Graffiti

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to ensure that perpetrators of graffiti receive appropriate punishments; and how many people in Southend were prosecuted for graffiti in each of the last five years. [224682]

Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Guantanamo Bay Detainees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis the Royal Prerogative was used in the decision to refuse Martin Mubanga and Feroz Abbasi British passports. [217978]

Mr. Charles Clarke: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

7 Apr 2005 : Column 1806W

Gun Control

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to restrict the availability of ammunition for guns to ensure that it is only used for permitted uses. [224136]

Caroline Flint: It is an offence for a person to possess, purchase or acquire any ammunition to which section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968 applies without holding a firearm certificate in force at the time, or otherwise than as authorised by such a certificate or in quantities in excess of those so authorised. It is also an offence for a person to fail to comply with the conditions subject to which the certificate is held.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on gun control; and if he will make a statement. [224143]

Caroline Flint: We are determined to have a regulatory framework controlling the possession of firearms which is robust, preventing guns getting into the wrong hands and allowing legitimate shooters to pursue their sport without danger to public safety. We already have some of the toughest gun controls in the world and we are currently considering the large number of responses we received to the consultation paper we issued last year to ensure that the framework remains appropriate for modern circumstances.

Gun Crime

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) gun crimes and (b) arrests relating to gun crime there were in (i) England and (ii)each police force area in each year since 1997. [223729]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 24 March 2005]: The number of gun crimes recorded by police in England and Wales is shown in the table. The introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard nationally in April 2002 means that data for years before and after this date are not directly comparable. Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective Secretaries of State.

Statistics on the number of arrests relating to gun crime in England and Wales are not collected centrally.
Firearms offences (excluding air weapons) by police force area, 1997 to 2003–04

Police force area 1997⁽⁴³⁾ 1997–98 1998–99⁽⁴⁴⁾ 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02⁽⁴⁵⁾ 2002–03⁽⁴⁶⁾ 2003–04

North East Region

Cleveland 18 24 20 26 16 24 18 45

Durham 17 22 13 40 18 19 16 15

Northumbria 78 79 76 107 99 86 103 169

North West Region

Cheshire 22 21 32 22 44 50 31 44

Cumbria 8 6 11 5 13 9 13 11

Greater Manchester 620 591 647 875 935 1,361 1,240 1,275

Lancashire 71 67 50 78 59 103 66 58

Merseyside 127 142 286 240 278 299 318 483

Yorkshire and the Humber Region

Humberside 83 85 76 61 69 63 68 68

North Yorkshire 28 22 11 8 9 28 18 23

South Yorkshire 80 75 75 114 129 170 153 127

West Yorkshire 162 156 193 191 335 332 333 269

East Midlands Region

Derbyshire 69 62 52 65 72 58 73 75

Leicestershire 48 51 98 71 58 74 174 141

Lincolnshire 5 5 16 19 24 22 37 26

Northamptonshire 40 46 54 48 40 55 107 123

Nottinghamshire 120 132 112 173 157 204 264 233

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire 36 26 23 53 108 116 131 108

Warwickshire 20 22 20 14 39 53 62 102

West Mercia 36 30 38 36 41 54 48 62

West Midlands 428 432 407 664 816 1,289 1,101 1,138

East of England Region

Bedfordshire 43 40 46 56 48 82 86 89

Cambridgeshire 34 37 35 43 31 49 57 34

Essex ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 58 63 47 61 77 98 148 145

Hertfordshire ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 45 49 30 36 36 69 139 138

Norfolk 20 22 34 24 20 26 36 33

Suffolk 5 12 15 18 22 15 28 45

London Region

City of London 2 1 1 4 5 5 3 3

Metropolitan ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 1,958 1,950 2,033 2,941 3,031 4,192 4,199 3,888

South East Region

Hampshire 29 33 38 52 49 58 97 130

Kent 100 113 76 109 108 60 64 65

Surrey⁽⁴⁷⁾ 31 31 35 42 52 40 34 88

Sussex 107 94 115 119 110 155 136 82

Thames Valley 109 95 96 107 198 267 362 421

South West Region

Avon and Somerset 55 65 71 103 100 131 119 123

Devon and Cornwall 40 41 75 81 64 52 36 84

Dorset 25 25 11 12 14 34 17 45

Gloucestershire 23 24 22 21 23 89 92 108

Wiltshire 19 17 19 10 13 26 60 53

Wales

Dyfed Powys 13 13 16 13 26 26 17 37

Gwent 19 19 26 19 11 18 52 74

North Wales 19 25 27 10 6 6 18 11

South Wales 34 38 31 52 67 56 74 47

England 4,819 4,808 5,109 6,749 7,360 9,917 10,087 10,169

Wales 85 95 100 94 110 106 161 169

⁽⁴³⁾Information published for calendar years up to and including 1997 and financial years thereafter.
⁽⁴⁴⁾There was a change in the counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998.
⁽⁴⁵⁾Numbers of some recorded crimes may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April 2002.
⁽⁴⁶⁾The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced nationally on 1 April 2002. Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by this.
⁽⁴⁷⁾Forces affected by boundary changes in April 2000.

7 Apr 2005 : Column 1807W

Police force area	1997⁽⁴³⁾	1997–98	1998–99⁽⁴⁴⁾	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02⁽⁴⁵⁾	2002–03⁽⁴⁶⁾	2003–04
North East Region
Cleveland	18	24	20	26	16	24	18	45
Durham	17	22	13	40	18	19	16	15
Northumbria	78	79	76	107	99	86	103	169

North West Region
Cheshire	22	21	32	22	44	50	31	44
Cumbria	8	6	11	5	13	9	13	11
Greater Manchester	620	591	647	875	935	1,361	1,240	1,275
Lancashire	71	67	50	78	59	103	66	58
Merseyside	127	142	286	240	278	299	318	483

Yorkshire and the Humber Region
Humberside	83	85	76	61	69	63	68	68
North Yorkshire	28	22	11	8	9	28	18	23
South Yorkshire	80	75	75	114	129	170	153	127
West Yorkshire	162	156	193	191	335	332	333	269

East Midlands Region
Derbyshire	69	62	52	65	72	58	73	75
Leicestershire	48	51	98	71	58	74	174	141
Lincolnshire	5	5	16	19	24	22	37	26
Northamptonshire	40	46	54	48	40	55	107	123
Nottinghamshire	120	132	112	173	157	204	264	233

West Midlands Region
Staffordshire	36	26	23	53	108	116	131	108
Warwickshire	20	22	20	14	39	53	62	102
West Mercia	36	30	38	36	41	54	48	62
West Midlands	428	432	407	664	816	1,289	1,101	1,138

East of England Region
Bedfordshire	43	40	46	56	48	82	86	89
Cambridgeshire	34	37	35	43	31	49	57	34
Essex ⁽⁴⁷⁾	58	63	47	61	77	98	148	145
Hertfordshire ⁽⁴⁷⁾	45	49	30	36	36	69	139	138
Norfolk	20	22	34	24	20	26	36	33
Suffolk	5	12	15	18	22	15	28	45

London Region
City of London	2	1	1	4	5	5	3	3
Metropolitan ⁽⁴⁷⁾	1,958	1,950	2,033	2,941	3,031	4,192	4,199	3,888

South East Region
Hampshire	29	33	38	52	49	58	97	130
Kent	100	113	76	109	108	60	64	65
Surrey⁽⁴⁷⁾	31	31	35	42	52	40	34	88
Sussex	107	94	115	119	110	155	136	82
Thames Valley	109	95	96	107	198	267	362	421

South West Region
Avon and Somerset	55	65	71	103	100	131	119	123
Devon and Cornwall	40	41	75	81	64	52	36	84
Dorset	25	25	11	12	14	34	17	45
Gloucestershire	23	24	22	21	23	89	92	108
Wiltshire	19	17	19	10	13	26	60	53

Wales
Dyfed Powys	13	13	16	13	26	26	17	37
Gwent	19	19	26	19	11	18	52	74
North Wales	19	25	27	10	6	6	18	11
South Wales	34	38	31	52	67	56	74	47
England	4,819	4,808	5,109	6,749	7,360	9,917	10,087	10,169
Wales	85	95	100	94	110	106	161	169

High Risk Offenders

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the percentage of very high and high risk offenders resident in (a) probation hostels and (b) voluntary sector hostels in England and Wales. [199977]

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

HMP Belmarsh

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are detained under his instructions at HMP Belmarsh; for how long each has been detained; and when he expects each to be released. [221450]

7 Apr 2005 : Column 1808W

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

HMP/YOI Parc

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his response to the findings and concerns expressed in the Annual Report for March 2003 to February 2004 of the Independent Monitoring Group for HMP and YOI Parc published in August 2004. [224200]

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many referrals of

7 Apr 2005 : Column 1809W

(a) immigration, (b) asylum and (c) naturalisation cases to the immigration and nationality directorate by hon. Members there have been in each year since 2001, broken down by constituency. [205113]

Mr. Browne: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to visit the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon. [220280]

Mr. Browne: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

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