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7 Apr 2005 : Column 1829W—continued
Security Warnings
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many security warnings have been issued by the Home Office since 1997. [203224]
Mr. Charles Clarke: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Sentencing
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Sentencing Guidelines Council on the consistency of sentencing. [224922]
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Caroline Flint [holding answer 6 April 2005]: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Serious Organised Crime Agency
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) HM Customs and Excise and(b) the Inland Revenue in relation to the proposedestablishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. [218360]
Caroline Flint: Close negotiations are continuing with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise as to the funds and posts to be transferred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) from that Department, and to ensure effective links between SOCA and the establishment of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs on 1 April 2005.
Sex Offenders
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders are absent without authorisation from prisons in England and Wales. [203515]
Mr. Charles Clarke: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Sexual Abuse (Historical Cases)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of complainants in historical sex abuse cases have been offered (a) counselling and (b) other support at an early stage of the investigation in each year since 2001. [219311]
Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment his Department has made of police compliance with guidelines for the interviewing of prisoners in historical sex abuse cases; [218789]
(2) whether the Department has conducted an audit of police compliance with guidelines for the interviewing of prisoners in historical sex abuse cases. [210005]
Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Sikhs
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet representatives from (a) the Sikh Federation (UK), (b) the National Council of Gurdwaras, (c) Young Sikhs and (d) the Sikh Secretariat to discuss developments since 2001 on the Sikh Agenda for the UK Government; and if he will make a statement. [224493]
Fiona Mactaggart:
It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
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Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a Minister from hisDepartment will attend the Sikh convention in 2005 [224536]
Fiona Mactaggart: No invitation has been received to attend the Sikh Convention 2005. All invitations received by Ministers are considered on an individual basis, alongside other diary commitments.
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees. [221664]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it an offence for a person to have a bladed or sharply pointed article—other than a small folding pocket knife—in a public place, without good reason, with the onus on the knife carrier to show they have a good reason for carrying it. However, the Act exempts Sikhs from criminal prosecution on the grounds that the kirpan is a religious article. Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam 1999 and the Human Rights Act 1998 also protect the right of individuals to follow their chosen religion.
Home Office staff are permitted to wear the kirpan at work.
The Home Office will be drawing up a code of practice concerning the wearing of Kirpans by Sikh employees. This will recognise the Sikh's religious freedom to carry an article of faith and will take account of the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Prison Service's policy is on practising Sikh officers wearing the Kirpan; and if he will discuss the issue with RESPECT. [224336]
Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Somali Organisations
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the expenditure by his Department on UK-based Somali organisations in each year since 1997; and what consultation is undertaken by his Department with representatives of the Somali community when deciding on allocations of such expenditure. [224587]
Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role is fulfilled by the third special adviser in his Department. [210489]
Mr. Charles Clarke: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which ministers were not present. [210542]
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Fiona Mactaggart: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the speeches his special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date. [210564]
Mr. Charles Clarke: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Surplus Assets Sales
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of sales of surplus assets from his Department was in each year since 2000–01. [220964]
Fiona Mactaggart: The value of sales of surplus assets for the Core Home Office for the period 2000–01 to 2003–04 are contained in the table.
Figures for 2004–05 are not yet available.
Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made towards achieving the Public Service Agreement target to reduce crime and the fear of crime. [219098]
Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce crime by 15 per cent. and further in high crime areas, by 2007–08 will be met. [219099]
Ms Blears: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target for reducing the gap between the highest Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership areas and the best comparable areas. [219100]
Caroline Flint: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.2 million by 2005–06 will be met; [219107]
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(2) what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million by 2007–08 will be met. [219108]
Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.
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