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16 Jun 2005 : Column 604W—continued
United States (Extradition)
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on those matters the Department has to take into account and what steps it has to take when it receives a request for extradition from the US. [4431]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) represents the interests of states that seek extradition of persons from the United Kingdom.
The CPS has to ensure that it fulfils the statutory requirements of the Extradition Act 2003. The United States of America (USA) has been designated a Part 2 territory by order of the Secretary of State; any request from the USA, therefore, has to comply with the requirements of Part 2 of the Act.
The Secretary of State, who receives the formal extradition request through diplomatic channels, has to certify under section 70 of the Extradition Act 2003 that the request for extradition is valid". A request is valid if it contains the statement that the person is accused in the category 2 territory of the commission of an offence specified in the request or is alleged to be unlawfully at large after conviction by a court in the category 2 territory of an offence specified in the request.
The USA has been designated in that category of territory that no longer has to provide prima facie sworn evidence on those charges on which extradition is sought.
On receipt of an extradition request, the CPS checks that it contains the required documents, including an arrest warrant or a certificate of conviction, particulars of the offence and law, and evidence of identity.
The CPS also has to ensure that the offence specified in the request constitutes an extradition offence as defined by the Act.
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Finally, the CPS checks that the documents are admissible (namely that they are signed by a judge, magistrate or other judicial authority of the USA or are authenticated by the oath of a witness).
If any part of the extradition request is deficient, the CPS advises the US authorities of the material required to satisfy the court in any ensuing extradition proceedings (which the CPS conducts on behalf of the USA).
HOME DEPARTMENT
Departmental Union Representation
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trade union learning representatives there are in his Department. [3312]
Fiona Mactaggart: There are a total of 68 learning representatives within the Department. This is divided as follows:
| Learning representatives in: | Number |
|---|---|
| The Prison Service(14) | 42 |
| The Criminal Records Bureau(15) | 11 |
| The United Kingdom Service Passport Service(15) | 7 |
| The Immigration and Nationality Directorate(15) | 8 |
(14)Representatives of the Prison Officers Association (POA)
(15)Representatives of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
The Prison Service is consulting other recognised unions about the terms of a learning agreement and the appropriate number of related learning representatives. Separately the main Home Office including Immigration and Nationality Directorate is consulting recognised unions about the terms of a learning agreement and the appropriate number of learning representatives.
Eurostar
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether passengers travelling on Eurostar (a) from Waterloo to the continent and (b) from the continent to Waterloo have their baggage checked or searched by officials. [3627]
Derek Twigg: I have been asked to reply.
Security directions served on Eurostar by the UK Department for Transport include requirements for thesearching of a specified minimum proportion of passengers and their baggage at Waterloo and Ashford International stations. The proportion is variable and is commensurate with the prevailing level of threat.
Security arrangements in France and Belgium are the responsibilities of the French and Belgian Governments respectively. French, Belgian and UK Government officials meet regularly to discuss security and to ensure continued comparability of security standards.
Illegal Labour
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there were in 2003 and 2004 of employers who employ people illegally resident in this country. [4555]
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Andy Burnham: Two defendants were proceeded against for Employing a person subject to immigration control who has attained the age of 16" under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, Sec eight, England and Wales in 2003.
Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in 'Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2004' in the autumn.
National Offender Management Service
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the 42 probation boards in England and Wales will be retained under the National Offender Management Service arrangements. [3875]
Fiona Mactaggart: Work on the future organisational design of the National Offender Management Service has still to be concluded.
Pedicabs/Rickshaws
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) sexual and (b) other assaults have been committed by the riders of pedicabs or rickshaws in the last 12 months. [3179]
Fiona Mactaggart: It is not possible to identify those riders of pedicabs or rickshaws from the data held on the Home Office Court Proceedings database as this information is not centrally collected.
Police/Crime Statistics (Wales)
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) adults and (b) young people are held in prisons in Wales; and what the operational capacity is of each prison in Wales. [1072]
Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the table.
(16)Adults are those aged 21 years and over. Young persons are those aged under 21, including some 21-year-olds who have not been reclassified as adults.
(17)At 29 April 2005.
Prison Education
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the levels of basic (a) literacy and (b) numeracy among (i) male young offenders, (ii) male adult offenders, (iii) female young offenders and (iv) female adult offenders were in each year between 1994 and 2004. [3245]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The information requested is not collected centrally. However, Home Office statistics show that 43 per cent. of prisoners have numeracy
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levels below level one and 37 per cent. have reading skills below level one.
Prison Statistics for England and Wales 2002.
Prison Staff (London)
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on the remuneration of London-based prison staff; and if he will make a statement. [2896]
Fiona Mactaggart: Each year, the Prison Service invites applications from all prisons for inclusion in its local pay scheme or for increasing existing local pay rates. These applications are considered by the Prison Service Management Board and evidence, which is shared with trade unions, is supplied to the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) which considers whether there is a case for adjustment of existing rates. In February, the PSPRB recommended that local pay rates should remain unchanged. The Home Secretary decided to implement the recommendations of the PSPRB in full with the local pay rates for most London prisons remaining at £4,000.
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