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6 Jul 2005 : Column 501W—continued
African Children
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many African boys he estimates have disappeared in the United Kingdom since September 2001. [6764]
Hazel Blears: This data is not collected centrally.
Airguns
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the firing of (a) an air pistol and (b) an air rifle were recorded in each of the last five years. [5157]
Hazel Blears: The available information relates to crimes recorded by the police in which firearms are reported to have been used. Statistics are available
for air weapons, but air pistols and air rifles cannot be separately identified within this category. The available statistics for air weapons are published in Table 2.03 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/05, Crime in England and Wales 2003/04: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime". A copy is available in the Library.
It should be noted that for an offence in which a firearm is reported to be used, the firearm does not have necessarily have to be fired. It could be used as a blunt instrument against a person or used as a threat.
Antisocial Behaviour
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour. [8550]
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Hazel Blears: The TOGETHER campaign was set up to ensure that anti-social behaviour is dealt with swiftly and effectively by local services. The first phase was about equipping practitioners with the tools and the know-how. We have seen some good results: Over 4,500 Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), over 150 crack house closure orders and over 400 dispersal orders have been issued.
As part of the next phase on the campaign, we will ensure we give the right help and support to communities so they know what they can do to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour and what they can expect from local services. As announced on the 29th June 2005, from 1st July 2005 provisions from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, will give vulnerable witnesses in ASBO cases the protection and support they need in court.
There will also be the lifting of automatic reporting restrictions to allow the local media to give details of those who breach their ASBOs.
Funding for Individual Support Orders (ISOs) for young people between the ages of 10 and 17 years of age will be increased by £500,000. ISOs can be attached to an ASBO and direct the young person to activities and support to address the underlying causes of their anti-social behaviour. This can include anger management courses and alcohol and drug misuse programmes.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in the Essex Police Authority Area; and how many have been breached; [9488]
(2) how many people have received a custodial sentence for breach of an anti-social behaviour order in Essex; [9489]
(3) how many people have been taken to court for breach of an anti-social behaviour order in Essex; and how many have been found guilty. [9490]
Hazel Blears: The Court Proceedings Database held by my Department holds breach proceedings only where there has been a conviction. Data on convictions for breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) are currently available from one June 2000 to 31 December 2003. During this period my Department received notification of 15 persons receiving ASBOs in the Essex criminal justice system area which is coterminous with the police authority area. Of these, two were convicted of breaching their ASBO on one or more occasions. Both received a custodial sentence for at least one of the breaches.
Breach data for 2004 will be available towards the end of the year.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance his Department has issued to magistrates in England and Wales in respect of applications for antisocial behaviour orders; [7944]
(2) what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities in England and Wales in respect of applications for antisocial behaviour orders; [7945]
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(3) what guidance his Department has issued to police authorities in England and Wales in respect of applications for anti-social behaviour orders. [7946]
Hazel Blears: Our publications A Guide to Antisocial Behaviour Orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts" and Guidance on Publicising Antisocial Behaviour Orders" together with information provided by our TOGETHER website and Action Line, provides comprehensive guidance for all practitioners, including police authorities, magistrates and local authorities. Joint guidance issued by the Home Office, Youth Justice Board and the Association of Chief Police Officers provides Youth Offending Teams with advice on their role in preventing and reducing antisocial behaviour. The Justices' Clerks' Society and the Judicial Studies Board have both published specific guidance and training material for magistrates on the use of ASBOs. In addition, Her Majesty's Courts Service has recently issued new guidance on ASBOs for judges sitting in the magistrates, crown and county courts.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in each London borough; and if he will make a statement. [8127]
Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table.
(29) Between 1 April 1999 and 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area (pfa). During this period a total of nine ASBOs were reported within the Greater London pfa.
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Assaults (Race/Religion)
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of (a) Muslims, (b) Sikhs, (c) Jews, (d) Christians and (e) Hindus who were victims of an unprovoked assault in which race or religion was assessed as a factor in the last year for which figures were available. [8069]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims of assaults, in which race was assessed as a factor, were of (a) white European, (b) white British, (c) African-Caribbean and (d) gipsy traveller extraction in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [8070]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Asset Recovery Scheme
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was recovered under the asset recovery scheme in each police authority area for (a) each year since inception and (b) as a cumulative total by descending value. [6155]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 27 June 2005]: The police asset recovery incentivisation scheme came into operation in 2004–05. Police force performance on recovering the proceeds of crime is measured by the value of cash forfeitures and confiscation orders obtained by a force. The value of orders obtained by each police force in 2004–05 is shown in the table.
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Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was recovered in criminal assets by the Metropolitan Police in each year since 1997; and how much was distributed to the Metropolitan Police from criminal assets recovered in each year. [7476]
Hazel Blears:
The information is not available in the format requested. The total value of cash forfeitures and confiscation orders obtained by the Metropolitan Police Service was £5,868,992 in 2003–04 and £26,426,648 in 2004–05. Money from recovered assets is distributed to the police service under the police incentivisation scheme which came into operation in 2004–05. Under the scheme the Metropolitan Police Service received £4,027,855 on the basis of its performance in 2004–05 .
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