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15 Jun 2005 : Column 459W—continued
Public Service Agreement Targets
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made on each of its public service agreement targets as set down in spending reviews since 1997. [1392]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Public service agreement (PSA) targets have been set every two years as part of the Spending Review. Since 1997 there have been four reviews: the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review, and the 2000, 2002 and 2004 Spending Reviews.
Performance against all PSA targets has been reported in our Annual Report since 1999–2000. Since 2002, performance has also been reported in our autumn performance report. The Treasury also introduced a performance reporting website in 2003 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/performance. The Home Office Annual Report for 2004–05 with the latest performance information will be published in June.
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Violent Crime (Pembrokeshire)
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent crimes have been recorded in Pembrokeshire in each year since 1997. [3739]
Hazel Blears: The available information relates to the Pembrokeshire Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area and is given in the tables. Data at CDRP level are only available from 1999–2000.
| Number of offences | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 1,273 |
| 2000–01 | 1,341 |
| 2001–02 | 1,239 |
Note:
The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
| Number of offences | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 1,402 |
| 2003–04 | 2,120 |
Note:
The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Community Justice Facilities
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the Community Justice Centre in Liverpool. [1773]
Ms Harman: My Department, Home Office and CPS have been working together to develop the first pilot Community Justice Centre in North Liverpool, to help tackle antisocial behaviour and quality of life crime problems facing the area.
The Community Justice Centre will provide a community centre, a court and an experienced team of professionals, including the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Probation Service, defence representatives, youth services and a range of advice providers. It will also offer access to a range of services to address the underlying problems causing crime, for example debt counselling and housing advice. These services will be available to victims, witnesses and their families, local residents and offenders.
His Honour Judge Fletcher began hearing cases for the area from 9 December 2004 in a courtroom in Liverpool's Dale Street magistrates court. Over 700 hearings have taken place to date.
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Contact Orders
Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many contact orders were (a) granted and (b) refused under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 in each year since the Act came into force; [4184]
(2) in how many cases in which contact orders were (a) granted and (b) refused domestic violence was cited in each year since their inception. [4185]
Ms Harman: The Children Act 1989 was implemented on 14 October 1991. The number of contact orders granted and refused since 1992 is set out as follows.
The data requested on the number of cases that cited domestic violence are not held centrally. One recent research report (Wade and Smart, DCA Research Series 06/2003), however, did suggest that around 25 per cent. of child contact cases involved allegations of domestic violence. From 31 January new forms for applications for child contact and residence were introduced. These 'Gateway forms' identify allegations of harm at the beginning of the court process. We are committed to evaluating the impact of these forms and further research is planned for one year on from implementation with a report expected in the autumn of 2006.
Drugs Courts
Mr. Malins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to set up designated drugs courts in the Greater London area; and if she will make a statement. [2704]
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Ms Harman: The Government are committed to establishing a pilot of a dedicated drug court by the end of 2005. It is anticipated that this pilot will involve trained sentencers, inter-agency co-operation and regular court reviews by a consistent court to track an offender's progress from sentence through to completion or breach of an order. The pilot builds upon international evidence and existing best practice that close sentencer review of drug treatment can play a role in successful rehabilitation.
The Government are currently determining the exact scope and best sites for the pilot, but it is likely that one location for the pilot will take place in London. A further announcement will be made in due course.
Electoral Administration/Register
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans the Government have to amend electoral law in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Wales in the forthcoming Electoral Administration Bill. [3608]
Ms Harman: The conduct of parliamentary and local elections in Wales is not devolved and therefore the measures included in the Electoral Administration Bill will apply to Wales. The conduct of parliamentary elections and the franchise in Scotland is reserved and therefore the measures in the Bill will apply to Scotland in respect of these matters. Discussions with Scotland in respect of the impact on local government elections, and with Northern Ireland, where the conduct of all elections is excepted, are currently on-going and at present we cannot comment on the what the outcome of these will be.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what procedures are in place for the Department to audit the accuracy of electoral rolls. [2727]
Ms Harman: The Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1983 requires electoral registration officers (EROs) appointed by local authorities for the purpose to compile the electoral register as accurately as possible. The Act gives this responsibility to EROs who act independently for these purposes.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the (a) number and (b) nature of election counts held in each year since 1999. [3300]
Ms Harman: The information since 1997 is in the following table.
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